Texas Takes a Byte Out of China: Governor Bans AI and Apps on State Devices
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has banned Chinese AI company DeepSeek from government devices, marking the first state-level restriction on this AI chatbot. Abbott is also blocking Chinese social media apps, aiming to shield Texas from data-harvesting threats. Meanwhile, DeepSeek’s rise is making waves in the tech world.
Hot Take:
Texas Governor Greg Abbott is turning into the Lone Star State’s very own cybersecurity cowboy, lassoing in rogue AI and social media apps with a twinkle in his eye and a ban-hammer in hand. He’s not messing around, folks—he’s sending a clear message to the Chinese tech giants: “This state ain’t big enough for the both of us!”
Key Points:
- Gov. Greg Abbott bans Chinese AI company DeepSeek from government devices in Texas.
- The ban also includes Chinese-owned social media apps Xiaohongshu (RedNote) and Lemon8.
- Abbott cites protection against data-harvesting and foreign influence as key reasons.
- DeepSeek is gaining traction as a competitor to OpenAI.
- Texas follows federal and state trends to restrict TikTok on government devices.
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