Missouri Senator Josh Hawley has proposed a bill aimed at restricting the exchange of artificial intelligence (AI) technology between the United States and China.
Known as the Decoupling America’s Artificial Intelligence Capabilities from China Act, the proposal is meant to protect US intellectual property and prevent foreign entities from gaining access to AI tools that could pose security risks.
Although the bill does not specifically mention DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company, it would effectively ban Americans from downloading its chatbot, which functions similarly to OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
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If passed, individuals and companies in the US would be prohibited from using, importing, or exporting AI technology linked to China. The law would also prevent US companies from conducting AI research in China or funding AI development there.
Violating these rules would come with serious consequences. Individuals could face fines as high as $1 million, while companies could be fined up to $100 million.
Additionally, those who break the law could lose federal contracts, grants, or other government benefits. The bill also includes a maximum prison sentence of 20 years for violators.
In a January 29 statement, Senator Hawley warned that any data or financial contributions to Chinese AI could be used against the US. He stated:
America cannot afford to empower our greatest adversary at the expense of our own strength. Ensuring American economic superiority means cutting China off from American ingenuity and halting the subsidization of CCP innovation.
Not everyone agrees with this approach. Ben Brooks, a researcher at Harvard’s AI Research, criticized the bill, calling it the “most aggressive legislative action on AI” and warning that it could “kill open-source” development.
Meanwhile, on February 4, Senator Bill Hagerty proposed a bill titled the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act. What did it highlight? Read the full story.
