A recently introduced law may render it unlawful for Americans to download the popular Chinese AI application **DeepSeek**.
On Monday, Senator **Josh Hawley**, a Republican from Missouri, revealed legislation focused on **prohibiting the importation and exportation of AI technology between the U.S. and China**.
Although the announcement makes a specific mention of DeepSeek, the bill—named the **Decoupling America’s Artificial Intelligence Capabilities from China Act**—does not precisely identify the company. Rather, it broadly addresses issues surrounding **the safeguarding of U.S. intellectual property** and stopping foreign adversaries from utilizing American technology in manners that could jeopardize national security.
### Hawley’s Effort to Terminate AI Relations with China
“America must not give strength to our most significant adversary at the cost of our own power,” Hawley declared in his announcement. He stressed that preserving U.S. economic supremacy necessitates **cutting technological connections with China** and ending any indirect support for the AI advancements of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). He also highlighted the **global concerns** raised by the unveiling of DeepSeek’s **R1 model**.
The introduction of R1 **disturbed the tech landscape**, leading to **declines in the stock market** and sparking apprehensions within the AI field. The model is claimed to have been developed at a significantly lower cost than competitors like **OpenAI’s GPT-4**, rendering it a potential **risk to the American AI sector**. Furthermore, OpenAI has accused DeepSeek of **utilizing its proprietary data for training**, a claim that many users found ironic considering OpenAI has faced similar allegations regarding its own data usage.
### Ethical and Privacy Issues Surrounding DeepSeek
In addition to economic and competitive worries, DeepSeek has been subjected to scrutiny over **ethical and privacy concerns**. Users have reported **situations of censorship**, where the AI refrains from addressing inquiries regarding **Tiananmen Square** or **Uyghur oppression**. Moreover, DeepSeek’s **privacy policy** indicates that it gathers extensive user data and stores it on **Chinese servers**, inciting fears that the Chinese government might access this data.
These issues have drawn parallels to the **TikTok ban**, which was implemented due to similar **national security and data privacy concerns**. However, unlike the TikTok ban, Hawley’s legislation would take it a step further by **criminalizing the downloading of DeepSeek**. If enacted, individuals found using the app could face **a $1 million fine, a prison sentence of up to 20 years, or both**, under the **Export Control Reform Act of 2018**.
### A Comprehensive Crackdown on Chinese AI
Apart from prohibiting the import and export of Chinese AI technology, the bill also suggests:
– **Forbidding U.S. firms from engaging in AI research in China or partnering with Chinese companies**
– **Prohibiting American investments in Chinese AI businesses**
The sweeping language of the legislation seems to be an attempt to **close loopholes** that allowed DeepSeek to develop in the first place. A significant factor behind DeepSeek’s cost-effective development was the **U.S. ban on Nvidia GPU exports to China**, which compelled the company to depend on **smuggled, older, or pre-sanctioned chips**.
### Possible Backlash and Innovation Risks
Despite Hawley’s advocacy, some tech experts and users on **X (formerly Twitter)** have criticized the bill, arguing that **limiting open-source AI development** could **hinder U.S. innovation** instead of safeguarding it. Others caution that such actions could **drive Chinese firms to find alternative ways** to circumvent restrictions, potentially speeding up their technological progress.
As discussions unfold, the proposed legislation highlights the increasing **tensions between the U.S. and China regarding AI leadership**, with both countries striving to secure their standing in the future of artificial intelligence.