I want to share a personal story. Just like many other Americans, I broadly use DeepSeek, the AI developed by a Chinese company. Despite unsubstantiated claims perpetuated by the United States government, there is no proof that China is using DeepSeek to steal American data. This situation mirrors that of TikTok, another China-originated software under constant scrutiny for baseless reasons. It has become increasingly apparent that these services are under attack because of their Chinese origin, and other unknown motives of government officials. 

What ratchets up the severity of this issue is the proposed legislation by Senator Josh Hawley - the Decoupling America’s Artificial Intelligence Capabilities from China Act of 2025. This act proposes criminal penalties for using Chinese AI, including a punitive sentence of up to 20 years and a fine that could go as high as $1 million per violation for an individual. In what world does this punishment fit the crime? This proposition displays a grotesque overstep of government boundaries and is another marker down the road of creating a tyrannical government. 

Aside from the personal freedom and liberty it threatens to curb, this act would also stifle the innovation of American companies who may benefit from the global exchange of ideas and technology – a precedent integral to how the technological sphere has grown so far. A robust AI framework requires global collaboration, and we cannot afford to isolate ourselves based on alleged threats with no concrete proof. 

We must begin asking "why." Why is our government targeting Chinese software and AI? Why are they ignoring the fact that more than half of our import of electronics come from China, while at the same time they are scrutinizing popular software from the same place? Why is our government inconsistently picking and choosing which software to criminalize and ban all for "public safety", when they have no evidence that there is any threat? Make no mistake, this will not end unless we put a stop to this behavior.

It's time we stood against this blatant and nefarious censorship that threatens to stifle progress and erode personal freedom and liberty. Join me in opposing this overreaching legislation. Sign this petition to halt the proposal of the Decoupling America's Artificial Intelligence Capabilities from China Act of 2025.