October 16, 2023: The United States is set to introduce new rules this week to make it harder for China to get advanced chipsets used in artificial intelligence (AI). These rules update last year’s restrictions and aim to close any remaining loopholes.
This step is taken as a part of the ongoing effort by the US government to curb China’s growth in artificial intelligence technology.
According to reports, the new rules are not just a blanket ban. They focus on specific types of chips and equipment.
The rules will limit the sale of graphics chips used in AI and advanced chip-making machines to Chinese companies. This change is a big deal because graphics chips are key in making AI work well.
These new measures will not just be about Chinese companies in China but also their offices in other countries. Companies will now need a special license to send certain technology to countries that might send it to China.
The US government is also listening to tech leaders who say they still want to do business with China, which is a huge market for chips.
So, the new rules will allow the sale of all chipsets to China except the powerful ones used in gaming PCs. Before shipping specific advanced consumer chips to China, companies will need to tell the US government.
The focus of the new rules is on a special part of the graphics chip called the ‘accelerator.’
Big computer centers use this part to help AI learn things faster. Some companies like NVIDIA have even made special chip models just for China to get around last year’s rules.
But these new rules will make it harder for that to happen again.
The US is not just thinking about China. They have also given special permission to companies in South Korea and Taiwan. This allows them to send some restricted tech to their factories in China.
Companies like Samsung and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing will benefit from this.
