OpenAI rolls out ChatGPT Gov as DeepSeek pressure grows

OpenAI announced ChatGPT Gov, a version of ChatGPT designed for government agencies with enhanced cybersecurity frameworks. The product can be deployed on Microsoft Azure’s government cloud servers or Azure commercial, giving agencies more control over security, privacy, and compliance requirements.

OpenAI said self-hosting ChatGPT Gov could help agencies authorize its tools for handling non-public sensitive data. The product includes many ChatGPT Enterprise features, including GPT-4o access, internal conversation saving and sharing, custom GPT builds, and an administrative console for IT teams.

The launch comes as DeepSeek challenges OpenAI’s standing in the AI market. DeepSeek R1 is described as comparable to ChatGPT, free as a web app, and significantly cheaper through its API. Claims that DeepSeek cost $6 million to train, compared with OpenAI’s $100 million, have raised questions about AI spending, while its China-based data storage has prompted national security concerns.