Lawmakers urge tighter AI chip export rules under Biden administration
Lawmakers urge tighter AI chip export rules under Biden administration
U.S. Lawmakers Push for Tighter Export Restrictions on AI Chips in China
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In a bid to curb China’s access to advanced AI technology, two U.S. lawmakers are urging the Biden administration to tighten export restrictions on artificial intelligence chips. Representative Mike Gallagher, a Republican and chair of the House of Representatives select committee on China, and Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat and ranking member of the committee, have called on Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to “further strengthen” the existing export control rules implemented last October.
The rules, which have already restricted China’s access to top AI chips made by U.S. firms like Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices, and Intel, impose performance caps on exporting AI chips to China. However, the lawmakers believe that a stricter approach is necessary, even more so than what was reportedly being considered by officials last month.
The existing export control rules focus on two primary factors – the interconnect speeds between AI chips and the chips’ processing speeds. While companies like Nvidia have created special chips with lower interconnect speeds for China, it is still possible for China to utilize these chips to advance its AI sector. This has led to concerns that the current export controls have done little to slow down China’s progress in this field.
The potential tightening of the rules has resulted in a flurry of lobbying activity, with the CEOs of Nvidia, Intel, and Qualcomm traveling to Washington to meet with administration officials. These executives discussed China policy and urged the Biden administration to allow the industry to continue accessing the Chinese market, which is the world’s largest commercial market for commodity semiconductors. In support of this, the Semiconductor Industry Association, a U.S.-based industry group, also advocated for continued access.
However, Representatives Gallagher and Krishnamoorthi argue for an even more stringent approach. Their letter recommends lowering the speed limit on how fast chips can communicate with each other, in order to prevent clever engineering that could bypass the regulations. Additionally, they urge the administration to consider cutting off Chinese firms’ access to advanced computing chips in the cloud, where major U.S. companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google offer the chips as part of their cloud computing services.
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The lawmakers emphasize the need to protect advanced U.S. technology and expertise in computing and semiconductors from being exploited against the United States. They view tighter export restrictions as a necessary measure to safeguard American innovations from falling into the wrong hands.
These efforts demonstrate the increasing importance of AI technology in the ongoing geopolitical landscape. With both economic and national security considerations at stake, the United States is taking proactive steps to mitigate potential risks and maintain a competitive edge in the AI race. The push for tighter export restrictions is just one example of the complex challenges faced in balancing innovation, trade, and security in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
