DeepSeek gets ‘National Treasure in China’ status: Travel ban, passport taken away and more that it means for DeepSeek’s top engineers

DeepSeek, the China-based AI startup that recently made headlines for its powerful and cost-efficient AI model, R1, has reportedly confiscated the passports of key employees to prevent potential leaks of sensitive information. According to AI reporter Kylie Robison from The Verge, citing a report from The Information, DeepSeek engineers are facing travel restrictions intended to safeguard confidential data, which may include trade or state secrets. The move comes amidst increasing concerns surrounding AI-related intellectual property protection, especially as global competition in artificial intelligence heats up.