On February 14, 2025, Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an investigation into DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence (“AI”) company, regarding its privacy practices and compliance with Texas law. The investigation also examines DeepSeek’s claims that its AI model rivals leading global models, including OpenAI’s technology.

As part of the investigation, Attorney General Paxton has issued Civil Investigative Demands (“CIDs”) to Google and Apple, requesting their analysis of the DeepSeek application and any documentation DeepSeek submitted before its app became available to consumers.

In a statement, Attorney General Paxton expressed concerns over DeepSeek’s potential connections to the Chinese Communist Party (“CCP”), and its implications for data security and AI competition. Citing national security and privacy risks, Paxton emphasized Texas’ commitment to upholding data protection laws and ensuring compliance with state regulations.

Additionally, on January 28, 2025, the Attorney General banned DeepSeek’s platform from all Office of the Attorney General devices, citing security concerns.

As of this publication date, the investigation remains ongoing.