US officials are reviewing national security concerns related to DeepSeek, an AI app developed in China, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

The National Security Council is leading the review due to concerns about its potential impact on US AI companies.

White House advisor David Sacks raised concerns about potential intellectual property theft tied to DeepSeek’s development, especially related to a technique known as distillation.

He suggested that US AI firms may take countermeasures.

DeepSeek’s affordable AI models have contributed to declines in global technology stocks, with fears that it could rival US leaders like OpenAI and Alphabet.

The US Commerce Department has also imposed restrictions to limit AI hardware exports to China.