S. ban on Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek’s products for federal civilian agencies , highlighting friction in the two AI powers’ heated technology race . The agencies should remove DeepSeek and its affiliated products, as well as third party products and services developed using DeepSeek , from their IT systems, the Department of Homeland Security said in a notice made public on Monday. The department’s order, dating back to late July, also blocks civilian agencies from procuring DeepSeek products and services. DeepSeek is one of China’s leading and best-known AI companies and its open-source models are widely available in countries including the United States. They are mostly free to use. S. data. S. ban. “China consistently opposes the overstretching of the concept of national security and the politicizing of science, technology, economic and trade issues,” she told reporters at a routine briefing. DeepSeek did not immediately respond to a request for comment. S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet in mid-November on the sidelines of the APEC, or Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, leaders’ summit in Shenzhen, China. AI is expected to be on the agenda. S. S. proposal for setting up of a notification system on national security-related incidents, but the two countries are still at odds on many issues. -led restrictions still ban China from accessing some of the world’s most advanced AI chips and the machines that make them. Last week, Beijing rolled out new proposed plans to restrict exports of certain advanced AI models.