A new bill introduced by Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) is causing a stir in the tech circle as it seeks to impose some of the harshest penalties in history for using Chinese AI, particularly the popular DeepSeek chatbot.
The proposed bill from Hawley’s office cautions offenders with up to 20 years in prison for anyone caught violating the Chinese AI ban.
The DeepSeek app has become a topic of heated debate across America, particularly since it recently climbed to the number one spot on the Apple Store’s free app rankings.
DeepSeek, which rivals or matches the offerings of many similar American AI apps, advertises that it does so while requiring far less computing power. While this efficiency may benefit some users, it has sparked widespread concern about privacy and surveillance issues across the U.S.
The growing influence of Chinese tech companies, particularly in the realm of AI, has drawn comparisons to the earlier days of TikTok controversies, in which lawmakers debated banning the Chinese-owned app over concerns about data privacy and other foreign financial influences, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Under the newly proposed legislation from Hawley and supporters, anyone caught using certain flagged Chinese AI technologies or apps could face prison sentences of up to 20 years, while companies found guilty of the same offenses could face fines reaching $100 million.
Additionally, the proposed bill seeks to block all imports and exports related to artificial intelligence between the U.S. and China.
Senators such as Hawley and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) have argued that President Biden’s previous administration overlooked and failed to enact effective AI regulations to protect America, according to Fox 4 KDFW. In a co-statement last year, they both expressed concerns over the sluggish progress of AI regulations and urged stronger limitations on China’s access to advanced technologies in America.