Trump Administration Plans to Ease AI Chip Export Restrictions, Boosting Semiconductor Stocks

5 Sources

The Trump administration's plan to roll back Biden-era AI chip export curbs has led to a surge in semiconductor stocks, particularly NVIDIA and AMD. This move aims to simplify export rules while maintaining restrictions on China-bound chips.

News article

Trump Administration Plans to Revoke Biden-Era AI Chip Export Restrictions

The Trump administration is reportedly planning to rescind a key Biden-era export restriction on AI chips, known as the "AI diffusion rule." This move has led to a significant rise in semiconductor stocks, particularly benefiting companies like NVIDIA, AMD, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co 123.

Impact on Semiconductor Stocks

Following the news, several chip stocks experienced notable gains:

  • NVIDIA (NVDA) shares rose by 3.81% to $134.86
  • Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) increased by 4.27% to $117.26
  • Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSM) gained 1.31% to $174.54
  • Other beneficiaries included Broadcom, Intel, NXP Semi, KLA, and Analog Devices 1345

The AI Diffusion Rule and Its Implications

The Biden administration's AI diffusion rule, set to take effect on May 15, 2023, imposed complex licensing rules on AI chip sales to dozens of countries. It grouped nations into three tiers with varying levels of export restrictions 12.

Critics of the rule, including NVIDIA, argued that it would harm U.S. competitiveness and potentially push allies toward China. Tech giants like Microsoft and Oracle also voiced concerns about lost business opportunities for American companies 23.

Proposed Changes and New Framework

The Trump administration aims to replace the AI diffusion rule with a simpler framework that still targets countries accused of diverting chips to China, such as Malaysia and Thailand 12. Key aspects of the proposed changes include:

  1. Potentially abandoning the tiered system in favor of bilateral agreements with individual countries
  2. Pressuring allies to commit to keeping chips out of China's hands in exchange for more favorable tariffs
  3. Continuing to enforce existing chip export rules strictly while working on new regulations 23

Global Implications and Middle East Relations

The policy shift comes ahead of Trump's planned Middle East trip, where countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia hope to negotiate better terms for AI chip access 12. Notably:

  • The UAE announced a $1.4 trillion commitment to invest in the U.S. in March
  • Saudi Arabia showcased a $600 billion investment commitment, including deals with tech giants like Amazon, Oracle, and AMD 3

Huawei and China's AI Chip Development

While easing restrictions on some countries, the Trump administration has warned global companies against using Huawei Technologies' Ascend AI chips, threatening criminal penalties for violating U.S. semiconductor sanctions 3.

Huawei has begun delivering AI chip "clusters" to clients in China, claiming to outperform NVIDIA on key metrics. This development, coupled with increased orders from Chinese companies cut off from NVIDIA's products, highlights the ongoing technological competition between the U.S. and China in the AI chip sector 3.

Industry Response and Future Outlook

The semiconductor industry is closely monitoring these developments, as the proposed changes could significantly impact global semiconductor trade and supply chains. While the rollback of the AI diffusion rule is not yet finalized, it represents a potential shift in U.S. policy aimed at balancing national security concerns with maintaining American technological leadership in AI and semiconductor technologies 45.

Explore today's top stories

Databricks Secures $1 Billion Funding at $100 Billion Valuation, Targets AI Database Market

Databricks raises $1 billion in a new funding round, valuing the company at over $100 billion. The data analytics firm plans to invest in AI database technology and an AI agent platform, positioning itself for growth in the evolving AI market.

TechCrunch logoReuters logoCNBC logo

11 Sources

Business

10 hrs ago

Databricks Secures $1 Billion Funding at $100 Billion

SoftBank's $2 Billion Investment in Intel: A Strategic Move in the AI Chip Race

SoftBank makes a significant $2 billion investment in Intel, boosting the chipmaker's efforts to regain its competitive edge in the AI semiconductor market.

TechCrunch logoTom's Hardware logoReuters logo

22 Sources

Business

18 hrs ago

SoftBank's $2 Billion Investment in Intel: A Strategic Move

OpenAI Launches Affordable ChatGPT Go Plan in India, Eyeing Global Expansion

OpenAI introduces ChatGPT Go, a new subscription plan priced at ₹399 ($4.60) per month exclusively for Indian users, offering enhanced features and affordability to capture a larger market share.

TechCrunch logoBloomberg Business logoReuters logo

15 Sources

Technology

18 hrs ago

OpenAI Launches Affordable ChatGPT Go Plan in India, Eyeing

Microsoft Integrates AI-Powered 'COPILOT' Function into Excel Cells

Microsoft introduces a new AI-powered 'COPILOT' function in Excel, allowing users to perform complex data analysis and content generation using natural language prompts within spreadsheet cells.

The Verge logoThe Register logoGeekWire logo

8 Sources

Technology

10 hrs ago

Microsoft Integrates AI-Powered 'COPILOT' Function into

Adobe Revolutionizes PDF with AI-Powered Acrobat Studio

Adobe launches Acrobat Studio, integrating AI assistants and PDF Spaces to transform document management and collaboration, marking a significant evolution in PDF technology.

Wired logoThe Verge logoXDA-Developers logo

10 Sources

Technology

10 hrs ago

Adobe Revolutionizes PDF with AI-Powered Acrobat Studio
TheOutpost.ai

Your Daily Dose of Curated AI News

Don’t drown in AI news. We cut through the noise - filtering, ranking and summarizing the most important AI news, breakthroughs and research daily. Spend less time searching for the latest in AI and get straight to action.

© 2025 Triveous Technologies Private Limited
Instagram logo
LinkedIn logo