Photo: The Canadian Press

FILE - The smartphone apps DeepSeek page is seen on a smartphone screen in Beijing, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)

Access to a Chinese generative artificial intelligence is now being blocked on Thompson Rivers University’s network because it poses “significant security risks.”

Users on TRU’s network are unable to access DeepSeek on a mobile device, computer or on the web. The move follows similar actions taken by other Canadian universities, as well as the B.C. and federal governments that have restricted the use of DeepSeek on government-issued devices and networks.

“Third-party security assessments of DeepSeek found a wide range of data collection, including confidential and personal information, device data and keystrokes,” reads a report that went to TRU senators last month.

“All data collected is stored in the People’s Republic of China, and there are concerns that the data is accessed by Chinese state-owned entities, despite DeepSeek’s privacy policy. DeepSeek was also found to be extremely vulnerable to security exploits that could result in data leaks.”

If DeepSeek is installed on a device it could still work while connected to another network or by using cellular data. TRU’s IT Services strongly recommends removing the app to be safe both on and off campus.

TRU said Copilot by Microsoft is an alternative available to TRU students and employees.

“TRU’s move is a precaution to protect the personal and institutional information of our students, faculty, and staff,” TRU said in a statement to Castanet.

While TRU has not crafted a specific policy to address AI use at the university, it has approved changes to its academic integrity policy to categorize unauthorized AI use in course work as a new type of academic integrity violation.

Those changes were approved last year and while they intended to come into effect on May 5, TRU said the implementation has been delayed until August.