Biden administration is Proposal The new restrictions that would limit exports of advanced computer chips used to develop artificial intelligence are part of an effort to preserve the US's six to 18-month advantage on AI over rivals such as China.
The framework proposed on Monday is raising concerns from chip industry executives, who say the rules would limit access to existing chips used for video games and for data centers and AI products in 120 countries. Will ban the outgoing chips. Mexico, Portugal, Israel and Switzerland are among the countries that may have limited access.
Chip giant Nvidia on Monday called The proposal is “misleading” and said it “threatens to derail innovation and economic growth around the world.”
On a call with reporters previewing the framework, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said it is “critical” to maintain America's leadership in AI and the development of AI-related computer chips. Rapidly developing AI technology is enabling computers to create novel innovations, make breakthroughs in scientific research, automate driving, and promote many other changes that could reshape economies and warfare.
“As AI becomes more powerful, the risks to our national security become even more acute,” Raimondo said. The framework is designed to “protect the most advanced AI technology and ensure it remains out of the hands of our foreign adversaries, but also enables wider dissemination and sharing of benefits with partner countries.”
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan stressed that the framework would ensure that the most cutting-edge aspects of AI, such as in the battery and renewable energy sectors, are developed within the United States and with its closest allies, rather than potentially being offshored. Will go.
Government officials said they felt they needed to act quickly to maintain the lead American companies have over China and other countries, a lead that could be easily destroyed if competitors moved to stockpile chips. Can earn profit.
Anticipating that AI-augmented technology will help spur growth and boost corporate productivity, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives called the technological advancement a “once-in-a-generation fourth industrial revolution” in a recent research note.
Risks to AI leadership?
The Information Technology Industry Council, a tech industry group, warned Raimondo in a letter last week that the new rule hastily implemented by the Democratic administration could fragment global supply chains and put U.S. companies at a disadvantage.
A statement from Naomi Wilson, the group's senior vice president for Asia and global trade policy, said, “While we share the U.S. government's commitment to national and economic security, the rule's potential threat to U.S. global leadership in AI is The risks cannot be emphasized enough.” He called for more extensive consultation with the tech industry.
An industry executive familiar with the outline and insisted on anonymity to discuss it said the proposed ban would affect chips already used for video games, despite claims by the government otherwise. Will limit access. The executive said it would also limit which companies can build data centers abroad.
Nvidia rejected the proposal
Because the framework includes a 120-day comment period, the incoming Republican administration of President-elect Donald Trump could ultimately set the rules for the sale of advanced computer chips abroad. This creates a scenario in which Trump must balance economic interests with the need to keep the United States and its allies secure.
Ned Finkel, vice president of external affairs at Nvidia, said in a statement that the previous Trump administration had helped build the foundation for AI development and that the proposed framework would harm innovation without achieving stated national security goals.
“Under the guise of 'anti-China' measures, these rules will do nothing to enhance American security,” he said. “The new rules will deregulate the technology worldwide, including technology that is already widely available in mainstream gaming PCs and consumer hardware.”
Under the framework, about 20 key allies and partners will face no restrictions on access to chips, but other countries will face limits on the chips they can import, according to a fact sheet provided by the White House. Can do.
nation without restrictions
Partners without restrictions include Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.
Users outside these close affiliates can purchase up to 50,000 graphics processing units per country. There will also be government-to-government deals that could raise the cap to 100,000 if their renewable energy and tech security goals align with the U.S.
Institutions in some countries can also apply for legal status that would allow them to purchase up to 320,000 advanced graphics processing units over two years. Still, there will be limits to how much AI computational capacity can be kept abroad by companies and other institutions.
Additionally, computer chip orders equivalent to 1,700 advanced graphics processing units will not require a license to import or count against the national chip cap, among other standards set by the framework. The exception of 1,700 graphics processing units will help fulfill orders from universities and medical institutions, as opposed to data centers.