China’s Military Reportedly Deploys DeepSeek AI for Non-Combat Duties

Though battlefield deployment may be a distant ambition, China’s military is putting AI into service behind the front lines. The South China Morning Post reported on March 23 that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has begun using DeepSeek’s latest models in a range of non-combat roles while probing whether its AI could be applicable to combat scenarios.

The report highlights China’s open use of advanced AI within military settings, showcasing Beijing’s success in implementing its policy of military-civil fusion, which seeks to incorporate civilian technology firms into the country’s military-industrial base.

PLA Reportedly Tests DeepSeek in Hospital and Recreational Settings

The PLA has reportedly used DeepSeek’s latest AI models for a range of non-combat tasks, including in hospital settings and personnel management. According to the Central Theatre Command, which has jurisdiction over the defense of Beijing, PLA military hospitals have used DeepSeek to provide treatment plans for military doctors and produce data storage plans. The Nanjing National Defense Mobilization Office has also released a manual on using DeepSeek to assist in emergency evacuation planning and other non-combat-related tasks.

State media previously indicated that senior PLA commanders may be planning to utilize DeepSeek to command operations. In a report last month, the state-controlled Guangming Daily noted that DeepSeek is “playing an increasingly crucial role in the military intelligentization process,” referring to the PLA’s goal to integrate AI into its military systems as part of its modernization efforts. Other state media outlets claimed that the AI model could provide commanders with improved situational awareness during combat maneuvers, allowing for more effective decision-making.  

China Continues to Integrate AI Into Its Economy and Military

The report comes as Beijing continues to champion the integration of AI into its civilian economy and military organizations. Eager to demonstrate China’s technological dominance, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has heavily promoted DeepSeek since its latest model’s release in January 2025 and has integrated those models into a broad range of private and government services. Having been adopted by other Chinese tech firms such as Tencent, DeepSeek’s models have been reportedly used to answer customer helplines, monitor surveillance footage, and draft low-level judicial opinions.

The PLA’s open use of DeepSeek also signals the CCP’s willingness to tout its progress in weaponizing AI to drive support for MCF. While the CCP had previously attempted to censor reports that the PLA had used Ernie, another civilian AI model, in non-combat settings, DeepSeek’s domestic success has catalyzed a surge in the valuation of major Chinese technology stocks. Along with showcasing the reputed promise of military AI, this financial boom has prompted leading Chinese firms to accelerate investments in computing infrastructure, underwriting a significant expansion of the country’s military-industrial base.

Washington Must Invest in the American Science and Technology Pipeline

The United States should work to stymie China’s AI sector while strengthening its own science and technology industrial base. Along with tasking the Department of Defense with reviewing whether DeepSeek should be designated as a Chinese military company, the Trump administration should prioritize finalizing the AI Diffusion Rule to prevent China from gaining access to key AI components. Additionally, Congress should work to starve Chinese firms’ access to American capital by passing legislation to screen outbound investment into the Chinese technology sector.   

Congress should pair these measures with significant investments in the U.S. science and technology industrial base. Along with reversing cuts to the National Science Foundation, a key investor in AI research, the Trump administration should prioritize permitting reform to accelerate the construction of data centers on federal lands and expanding baseload electricity to power AI development and deployment.

Jack Burnham is a research analyst in the China Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). For more analysis from Jack and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow Jack on X @JackBurnham802. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.