US Proposes 20-year Prison Term on Downloading DeepSeek AI Platform

The congressional bill, “Decoupling American Artificial Intelligence Capabilities from China Act of 2025,” proposes banning Americans from assisting China in advancing AI and prohibits them from downloading or using DeepSeek.

A bill has been proposed in the US Congress that could lead to a 20-year prison sentence for anyone downloading the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) platform DeepSeek, with a penalty of up to $1 million.

The bill, titled “Decoupling American Artificial Intelligence Capabilities from China Act of 2025,” seeks to prohibit Americans from assisting China in advancing AI and bars them from downloading or using DeepSeek. The bill states that any citizen who violates this law will be committing a crime and may be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison and fined $1 million.

The bill also states that if American individuals or companies collaborate with Chinese colleges, universities, or laboratories on AI, they may be breaking the law. Companies found in violation could be fined up to $100 million. Non-US citizens involved in technology transfer may be deported.

The bill was proposed by Republican Senator Josh Hawley, who previously served as Missouri’s Attorney General and was involved in investigations into major technology companies, including Google and Facebook, over alleged election interference. The US has previously banned government officials from using the DeepSeek app, including key administrative agencies such as the Department of Defense and Congress.

Although Hawley has not made substantial comments regarding this bill, many believe the proposal is a response to DeepSeek’s growing popularity, which has reportedly unsettled Big Tech circles. Moreover, the US crackdown on Chinese AI could also be linked to the ongoing tariff war with China, which has triggered strong responses, including retaliatory tariff policies from China.

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