SINGAPORE, Feb. 9 -- Companies in Singapore are cautious about using DeepSeek despite its cost-saving potential, citing concerns over data security and AI biases.

The Straits Times reported that major firms, including banks, consulting agencies and cyber-security companies, have set clear rules prohibiting employees from using generative AI tools like DeepSeek for work without due diligence.

"The model stands out for being open-source, performing well across benchmarks and offering a significantly lower-cost alternative to competitors," said Hanno Stegmann, managing director and partner of Boston Consulting Group's (BCG) AI team.

DeepSeek gained attention in the tech sector when it launched its R1 model in January, claiming it could riva...