Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Ban Chinese AI in U.S. Government Use

A group of U.S. lawmakers from both major parties has proposed legislation aimed at preventing federal executive agencies from using artificial intelligence systems developed in China, such as those from DeepSeek.

The proposed legislation, called the “No Adversarial AI Act,” follows intelligence assessments indicating that DeepSeek may be supporting Chinese military and espionage efforts and has reportedly utilized “large volumes” of Nvidia chips.

DeepSeek made waves in the AI sector earlier this year by claiming it had built a system that could rival major U.S. platforms like ChatGPT—at a fraction of the cost. Since those claims, concerns over data protection have led some American institutions and companies to stop using DeepSeek’s technology. The current administration under President Donald Trump has also considered banning the tool on government-owned devices.

The bill—presented in the House by Michigan Republican John Moolenaar and Illinois Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi—seeks to establish a standing policy that would forbid the adoption of AI models from countries considered U.S. adversaries. The proposal extends beyond China to include Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

Under the new framework, the Federal Acquisition Security Council would be tasked with compiling and maintaining a list of restricted AI systems originating from these nations.

Government departments would be restricted from purchasing or utilizing any AI tools on that list unless granted a specific exemption by Congress or the Office of Management and Budget—for instance, in the case of research needs. There is also a clause allowing for the removal of a technology from the list if it can be demonstrated that it is not under foreign adversarial control or influence.

“The U.S. must draw a hard line: hostile AI systems have no business operating inside our government,” Moolenaar said in a statement. “This legislation creates a permanent firewall to keep adversary AI out of our most sensitive networks – where the cost of compromise is simply too high.”

Additional sponsors of the bill in the House include Representatives Ritchie Torres of New York and Darin LaHood of Illinois. Senators Rick Scott from Florida and Gary Peters from Michigan will champion the legislation in the Senate.