Jakarta, INTI - The United Sates government is preparing new regulations that would tighten the export of artificial intelligence (AI) chips to overseas markets by requiring companies to obtain government approval before shipping the technology abroad.
The proposed rule was reported by TechCrunch on Friday.
If implemented, the policy would give the US government greater control over semiconductor companies such as Advanced Micro Devices and Nvidia in the process of exporting AI chips.
A spokesperson for the United States Department of Commerce said the government is committed to ensuring that American technology exports are conducted safely and responsibly.
“We have successfully promoted exports through historic agreements with countries in the Middle East, and there are currently internal discussions within the administration to formalize this approach,” the spokesperson said.
Government Approval Required for AI Chip Purchases
Under the draft regulation, companies or governments from other countries would be required to obtain approval from the United States Department of Commerce before purchasing AI chips from American manufacturers.
The review process for export applications would depend on the scale of the chip order.
Small purchases made by foreign companies would likely go through a basic review process. However, larger orders could require additional approval, potentially involving the government of the purchasing country.
Nevertheless, the proposed rule could still change before it is officially announced by the US government.
Tighter Oversight of Technologies Exports
If adopted, the new policy would signal a stronger level of government involvement compared with previous AI export control regulations.
The earlier policy was the AI Diffusion rule, introduced during the administration of Joe Biden.
That policy was later revoked by the administration of Donald Trump in May last year, less than a week before it was scheduled to take effect.
The move to tighten export controls is also linked to US policies regarding exports of advanced AI chips produced by Nvidia to the Chinese market.
In recent years, the US government has repeatedly adjusted regulations concerning export permits for those chips.
Ultimately, the government decided that exports of AI chips could still proceed, provided that buyers obtain approval from the United States Department of Commerce.
Conclusion
The proposed regulation signals a stronger effort by the United States to control the global distribution of advanced AI technologies. By requiring government approval for overseas purchases of AI chips, the policy could reshape international semiconductor trade while ensuring that strategic technologies developed in the United States are exported under tighter oversight and security considerations.
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