US scraps draft rules on AI chip exports

The US Department of Commerce has withdrawn a proposed set of rules governing the export of chips used in artificial intelligence. The proposal had been intended to replace the 2025 regulation adopted under President Joe Biden’s administration, which governed global access to advanced chips.

According to a department official, the document was only a working draft still in preparation and under discussion among government agencies. The notice regarding the proposed rule, titled ‘AI Action Plan Implementation’, was published in late February but was withdrawn from the review process on Friday.

Under the proposal, countries or companies seeking to export large quantities of chips would have been required to invest in data centres in the United States or provide security guarantees.

A former US official said the withdrawal may be linked to differing views within the administration on how to ensure US technological dominance in artificial intelligence while addressing national security concerns.

(Reuters, Luc)