A new bill in the US Congress makes downloading DeepSeek a crime, with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1 million

BlockBeats news, on February 5, the US Congress recently proposed the 2025 American Artificial Intelligence Ability and China Decoupling Act, which prohibits Americans from assisting China in promoting AI, and prohibits Americans from downloading or using DeepSeek, otherwise it will be classified as a crime, with a maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment and a fine of $1 million. The bill states that it may be illegal for American individuals or businesses to collaborate with Chinese universities, colleges, or laboratories in the field of AI. Illegal companies can be fined up to $100 million. In addition, non US citizens involved in technology transfer may face deportation. The bill was proposed by Republican Senator Josh Hawley, who previously served as Missouri's Attorney General and was involved in investigations into allegations of election interference by large tech companies, including Google and Facebook. The United States has previously banned government officials and other major administrative agencies, including the Department of Defense and Congress, from using the DeepSeek application.