Curated by THEOUTPOST
On Thu, 8 May, 12:07 AM UTC
15 Sources
[1]
Trump admin to roll back Biden's AI chip restrictions
On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced plans to rescind and replace a Biden-era rule regulating the export of high-end AI accelerator chips worldwide, Bloomberg and Reuters reported. A Department of Commerce spokeswoman told Reuters that officials found the previous framework "overly complex, overly bureaucratic, and would stymie American innovation" and pledged to create "a much simpler rule that unleashes American innovation and ensures American AI dominance." The Biden administration issued the Framework for Artificial Intelligence Diffusion in January during its final week in office. The regulation represented the last salvo of a four-year effort to control global access to so-called "advanced" AI chips (such as GPUs made by Nvidia), with a focus on restricting China's ability to obtain tech that could enhance its military capabilities. News of the planned policy shift immediately affected markets, with shares of Nvidia rising 3 percent after the announcement. Since April, AI chip makers have seen several other stock market swings due to ever-shifting Trump policy announcements related to tariffs, a separate but interrelated issue. The changing face of chip export controls The Biden-era chip restriction framework, which we covered in January, established a three-tiered system for regulating AI chip exports. The first tier included 17 countries, plus Taiwan, that could receive unlimited advanced chips. A second tier of roughly 120 countries faced caps on the number of chips they could import. The administration entirely blocked the third tier, which included China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, from accessing the chips. Commerce Department officials now say they "didn't like the tiered system" and considered it "unenforceable," according to Reuters. While no timeline exists for the new rule, the spokeswoman indicated that officials are still debating the best approach to replace it. The Biden rule was set to take effect on May 15. Reports suggest the Trump administration might discard the tiered approach in favor of a global licensing system with government-to-government agreements. This could involve direct negotiations with nations like the United Arab Emirates or Saudi Arabia rather than applying broad regional restrictions. However, the Commerce Department spokeswoman indicated that debate about the new approach is still underway, and no timetable has been established for the final rule.
[2]
Nvidia celebrates dumping of Biden-era AI chip export rules -- simpler new policy promised
The Trump administration intends to cancel the AI Diffusion Rule export control policy, reports Bloomberg. This policy restricts shipments of advanced AI processors to all but 19 countries around the world, and was introduced under the President Biden in January. Details about the revised policy are unclear, but it is believed to focus on country-by-country negotiations over broad global rules, while continuing strict controls on China. Despite the lack of new detail, Nvidia is already celebrating. "The Biden AI rule is overly complex, overly bureaucratic, and would stymie American innovation," a statement by the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security published by Bloomberg reads. "We will be replacing it with a much simpler rule that unleashes American innovation and ensures American AI dominance." The regulation in question, known as the AI diffusion rule, was set to take effect on May 15 and would have categorized foreign nations into three groups for licensing purposes. Under this system, only the U.S. and 18 allied 'Tier 1' countries have full access to processors like Nvidia's H100. Over 100 'Tier 2' nations would face a cap of about 50,000 H100-class GPUs annually over the next few years, unless they obtain verified end user (VEU) status. Note that entities in Tier 2 nations may still import up to 1,700 advanced AI processors per year without a license, which would not count toward the cap. 'Tier 3' countries -- such as China, Russia, and Macau -- would be barred from getting advanced processors entirely due to arms embargoes. Trump officials, however, will not implement the above framework. Instead, they are crafting a new approach focused on bilateral arrangements with countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. To get advanced GPUs, such countries may have to invest in the U.S., or broaden diplomatic cooperation, according to the report. For example, nations like the UAE have advocated for looser rules and have committed to long-term U.S. technology investment, pledging as much as $1.4 trillion over the next 10 years. Until recently, the UAE had to obtain an export license from the U.S. government to obtain advanced AI processors, such as Nvidia's H100 and H200. While the Trump team seeks to revise global export rules for AI processors, it has reinforced restrictions against China's access to advanced AI GPUs designed in the U.S., including AMD's Instinct MI308 and Nvidia's H20. As a result, the two companies had to write down billions worth of AI processors in the most recent quarter. It is unlikely that the U.S. government lifts the ban on these processors, but Nvidia is already celebrating the fact that the AI Diffusion Rule is gone. As a result, it can continue shipping its AI and HPC GPUs to Europe without any restrictions. "We welcome the Administration's leadership and new direction on AI policy," a statement by Nvidia reads. "With the AI Diffusion Rule revoked, America will have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lead the next industrial revolution and create high-paying U.S. jobs, build new U.S.-supplied infrastructure, and alleviate the trade deficit." Nvidia has argued that controlling sales to non-Chinese nations could alienate allies and drive them to China's Huawei AI ecosystem, thus threatening U.S. leadership in the AI sector in the long term. The change may also benefit U.S. firms with global infrastructure ambitions. For example, Oracle's expansion plans in Malaysia faced potential obstacles under the prior rule due to shipment caps. However, keeping in mind the fact that the Trump administration has a strict stance against China, it is possible that it may curb sales of advanced GPUs to countries used to smuggle Nvidia's H100 processors and servers to China, which includes Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore.
[3]
Trump to Rescind Chip Curbs After Debate Over AI Rules
The Trump administration plans to rescind Biden-era AI chip curbs as part of a broader effort to revise semiconductor trade restrictions that have drawn strong opposition from major tech companies and foreign governments, according to people familiar with the matter. The repeal, which is not yet final, seeks to refashion a policy launched under President Joe Biden that created three broad tiers of countries for regulating the export of chips from Nvidia Corp. and others. The Trump administration will not enforce the so-called AI diffusion rule when it takes effect on May 15, the people said.
[4]
US scraps Biden-era rule that aimed to limit exports of AI chips
The US commerce department has scrapped a rule put in place by the Biden administration that limited exports of artificial intelligence chips, arguing it was full of red tape that made it "unenforceable", a US official said. The move by the Trump administration comes as it takes a more lenient approach to the regulation of AI and other advanced technologies domestically and contends with the rise of Chinese companies in the sector. Instead of allowing the Biden-era controls to take effect on May 15, the official said the Trump administration would draft a rule that would ensure that US technology flourished without allowing American adversaries to gain access to the technology. The official cautioned that the rule would not be imminent and would take some time to put in place. The "AI diffusion" export controls, introduced in the last days of Joe Biden's presidency, created a three-tier licensing system for AI chips used in data centres, such as Nvidia's powerful graphics processing units. They were aimed at making it harder for Chinese companies to circumvent US export controls by accessing them via third countries. The planned legislation imposed a cap on chip export volumes for all but a small number of countries, which include G7 members and Taiwan. More than 100 countries fell into this "middle" tier. The EU, Nvidia and the wider chip industry criticised the rules, which were undergoing an industry feedback period.
[5]
Nvidia welcomes Trump's proposal to rescind global chip restrictions
Donald Trump's administration is expected to rescind Joe Biden's curbs on AI chip sales as part of a broader effort to revise semiconductor restrictions, Bloomberg reported. In a statement, Nvidia said, "We welcome the administration's leadership and new direction on AI policy. With the AI Diffusion Rule revoked, America will have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lead the next industrial revolution and create high-paying U.S. jobs, build new U.S.-supplied infrastructure, and alleviate the trade deficit." Biden's restrictions on AI chip sales were reminiscent of the days when the PlayStation 2's sales were restricted because its processing power was considered close to that of a supercomputer, and that was dangerous if it fell in the hands of those trying to create nuclear weapons. As such, the restrictions drew opposition from major tech companies and foreign governments, Bloomberg said. The news publication said the repeal is not yet final, but it could lift regulations on the export of chips from Nvidia and others. Trump will reportedly not enforce the AI diffusion rule when it takes effect on May 15. It's perhaps a coincidence that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang visited Trump at the White House earlier this year. Bloomberg said that the change in policy is happening as Trump prepares for a trip to the Middle East, where Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have reportedly balked at the curbs on their ability to acquire AI chips. Nvidia's stock price rose in trading today.
[6]
Here's why Trump killing the 'AI diffusion rule' is a win for chipmakers
The U.S. government plans to withdraw a rule introduced under the Biden administration that had aimed to restrict exports of advanced AI chips -- a policy that had posed challenges for major semiconductor companies like Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD (AMD). "The Biden AI rule is overly complex, overly bureaucratic and would stymie American innovation," a spokeswoman from the Commerce Department said in a statement. The Trump administration intends to issue a revised version of the rule, which was set to come into effect on May 15. This process could take months to finalize, sources told Axios. The regulation in question -- titled the Framework for Artificial Intelligence Diffusion -- would have limited exports of AI chips to over 100 countries. These restrictions aimed to prevent countries from bypassing U.S. export controls, particularly in relation to China. Chipmakers had criticized the rules, however. They argued it would give an advantage to Chinese competitors, such as Huawei, as they develop and sell their own AI hardware, foregoing an opportunity to ensure that much of the world would rely on American technology. The rule would have affected Nvidia's ability to sell its high-demand graphics processing units, or GPUs, in markets such as India, Mexico, Singapore, and Switzerland. The shift could reflect a relaxing stance toward regulating AI, offering a momentary boon for chipmakers. Since Bloomberg first reported the reversal on Wednesday, Nvidia and AMD stocks have gained 4.4% and 3.4%, respectively. But any respite could prove temporary, and obstacles persist when it comes to accessing the crucial Chinese market. Nvidia's most powerful chips, including the A100 and H100, are already banned from export to China, as a result of Biden-era restrictions. Last month the Trump administration also introduced new license requirements for less powerful chips by Nvidia and AMD in order to comply with export controls. Nvidia said these requirements on its H20 chips had resulted in a $5.5 billion hit to its quarterly earnings, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. The company's earnings are scheduled to be released May 28.
[7]
After backlash, US scraps Biden administration's curb on AI chip exports - SiliconANGLE
After backlash, US scraps Biden administration's curb on AI chip exports The Trump administration is planning to overhaul regulations set by the Biden administration that would limit how many artificial-intelligence chips countries can purchase from the U.S. The regulations, which were to go into effect May 15, were designed to limit AI advancement in certain nations - "non-trusted actors" - with an emphasis on ensuring those chips don't get to China. Called "AI Diffusion", the regulation was controversial, with chip giant Nvidia Corp. calling the move "unprecedented and misguided." Microsoft Corp. and Oracle Corp. were also unenamoured with the rule, saying it would hamper business opportunities abroad without reaching its intended goal: hurting China. "The Biden AI rule is overly complex, overly bureaucratic, and would stymie American innovation," a spokesperson for the Commerce Department said today. "We will be replacing it with a much simpler rule that unleashes American innovation and ensures American AI dominance." The news will come as a boon for Nvidia and other U.S. tech firms whose business depends on fluid chip sales to other countries. No sooner than the plan was announced, Nvidia's stocks rose 3%, but later dipped to 0.7%. The company will still face tight export controls, as evident in the $5.5 billion charge it was hit with for selling advanced chips to China. "We welcome the Administration's leadership and new direction on AI policy," an Nvidia spokesperson said today. "With the AI Diffusion Rule revoked, America will have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lead the next industrial revolution and create high-paying U.S. jobs, build new U.S.-supplied infrastructure, and alleviate the trade deficit." The Commerce Department explained that the tiered rule could be scrapped altogether, calling it "unenforceable." It would have put 17 countries in the first tier, which would be able to receive an unlimited number of chips. 120 nations were in the second tier, which would each receive a cap on chip imports, while tier three countries, China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, were to be blocked completely. It's reported that the current administration is considering replacing this with individual agreements between each nation, while introducing a global licensing regime. It seems there will be upcoming trade talks in which countries can bargain for better tariffs if they agree to keep chip restrictions.
[8]
Trump Looks To Repeal Biden Chip-Export Curbs Set To Take Effect Soon
Kara Greenberg is a senior news editor for Investopedia, where she does work coordinating, writing, assigning, and publishing multiple daily and weekly newsletters. Prior to joining Investopedia, Kara was a researcher and editor at The Wire. Earlier in her career, she worked in financial compliance and due diligence at Loomis, Sayles & Company, and The Bank of New York Mellon. The Trump administration plans to repeal Biden-era chip curbs that were set to take effect later this month and expand limits on exports of American chips. The "AI diffusion rule," published in January and set to go into effect on May 15, would further tighten restrictions on sales of American AI hardware to other countries, but Trump plans to rescind the rule. The news was first reported by Bloomberg late Wednesday. "The Biden AI rule is overly complex, overly bureaucratic, and would stymie American innovation. We will be replacing it with a much simpler rule that unleashes American innovation and ensures American AI dominance," a spokesperson for the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security said in a statement to Investopedia. The Commerce Department is expected to continue enforcing export limits currently in effect while it develops a new set of restrictions to replace the diffusion rule, according to Bloomberg's report. =Advanced Micro Devices said yesterday it expects to take a $1.5 billion revenue hit in 2025 due to tighter restrictions on its chip sales to China -- a bigger impact than analysts expected.
[9]
Trump Plan to Undo Chip Curbs Is Win for Nvidia -- But Not for Long, Analysts Warn
Jefferies said Trump's new chip curbs could take a long time to implement, expecting his administration to follow a government-to-government approach and leverage them in tariff negotiations. The Trump administration's reported plans to repeal Biden-era chip-export curbs that were set to take effect later this month would be a win for Nvidia (NVDA) and other chipmakers. But their relief could prove temporary, analysts warned. A spokesperson for the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security told Investopedia Wednesday that the administration intends to replace the rule with other restrictions -- which Citi and Deutsche Bank analysts warned could be stricter than Biden's. "While this news is a welcome relief to AI related semi names in the near-term, as the complexity of the AI Diffusion rule is removed, we still believe the U.S. government's overriding goal to restrict access to AI semis remains unchanged," Deutsche Bank analysts wrote Wednesday. In a note to clients Thursday, Jefferies analysts said they expect the Trump administration to take a government-to-government approach to new rules, as it has said it will do with tariffs, and use AI chip-export limits as leverage in ongoing tariff negotiations, potentially extending the time needed to roll out new rules. "We won't know the details for some time," Jefferies said, leaving Nvidia and other chipmakers a longer window to sell products that haven't been restricted yet, but also with a great deal of uncertainty. Nvidia did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The news comes just weeks after Nvidia said it expects to take a $5.5 billion hit to its fiscal first-quarter results, due for release May 28, after the U.S. implemented a licensing requirement for Nvidia to sell its H20 chips to China. The Biden AI diffusion rule, if allowed to take effect and enforced, would potentially lower Nvidia's earnings by another 11% to 14% in a worst-case scenario, according to Bank of America Securities estimates. Shares of Nvidia were up nearly 1% in recent trading Thursday but have lost close to 12% of their value since the start of the year as worries about the trajectory of AI spending and export restrictions weighed on the stock. "In the interim expect volatility to reign supreme," Deutsche Bank said.
[10]
Trump administration to rescind and replace Biden-era global AI chip export curbs
The Trump administration plans to revise a Biden-era regulation on AI chip exports, deeming it overly complex and a hindrance to American innovation. The proposed changes aim to simplify the rules, potentially replacing the tiered system with a global licensing regime. This move could impact companies like Nvidia and reshape the landscape of AI technology access worldwide.US President Donald Trump's administration plans to rescind and modify a Biden-era rule that curbed the export of sophisticated artificial-intelligence chips, a spokeswoman for the Department of Commerce said on Wednesday. The regulation was aimed at further restricting AI chip and technology exports, dividing up the world to keep advanced computing power in the United States and among its allies while finding more ways to block China's access. The Framework for Artificial Intelligence Diffusion was issued in January, a week before the end of the administration of former President Joe Biden. It capped a four-year effort by the Biden administration to hobble China's access to advanced chips that could enhance its military capabilities and to maintain US leadership in AI. "The Biden AI rule is overly complex, overly bureaucratic, and would stymie American innovation," the Commerce spokeswoman said. "We will be replacing it with a much simpler rule that unleashes American innovation and ensures American AI dominance." Last week, Reuters reported the Trump administration was working on changes to the rule that would limit global access to AI chips, including possibly doing away with its splitting the world into tiers that help determine how many advanced semiconductors a country can obtain. According to the Commerce spokeswoman, officials "didn't like the tiered system" and said the rule was "unenforceable." The spokeswoman did not have a timetable for the new rule. She said debate was still under way on the best course of action. The Biden rule was set to take effect on May 15. Shares of Nvidia, an AI chip designer whose sales could rise if the rule were changed to increase exports, ended 3% higher after the news came out on Wednesday, but then dipped 0.7% in after-hours trade. The Biden rule divided the world into three tiers: 17 countries and Taiwan were in the first tier, which could receive unlimited chips. Some 120 other countries were in the second tier, which was subject to caps on the number of chips the countries could receive. In the third tier, countries of concern including China, Russia, Iran and North Korea were blocked from the chips. But Trump administration officials are weighing discarding the tiered approach to access in the rule and replacing it with a global licensing regime with government-to-government agreements, sources told Reuters last week. (Reporting by Arsheeya Bajwa in Bengaluru and Karen Freifeld in New York; Editing by Anil D'Silva, Chris Sanders and Matthew Lewis)
[11]
Trump administration to rescind and replace Biden's AI chip export curbs
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration plans to rescind and modify a rule introduced by his predecessor that curbed the export of sophisticated artificial intelligence chips, a spokeswoman for the Department of Commerce said on Wednesday. The regulation was aimed at further restricting AI chip and technology exports, dividing up the world to keep advanced computing power in the United States and among its allies while finding more ways to block China's access. The Framework for Artificial Intelligence Diffusion was issued in January, a week before the end of the administration of former President Joe Biden. It capped a four-year effort by the Biden administration to hobble China's access to advanced chips that could enhance its military capabilities and to maintain U.S. leadership in AI.
[12]
Donald Trump Plans Overhaul of Semiconductor Export Policy, Tightens Focus on China
Since 2022, the U.S. has introduced increasingly stringent measures aimed at curbing China's access to advanced AI technologies. | Credit: Win McNamee / Getty Images. The Trump administration is preparing to repeal Biden's regulatory measure on AI chip exports as part of a broader effort to reshape global semiconductor trade. The significant shift in strategy for regulating AI is seen as a potential victory for American semiconductor makers who have long criticized the policy. Trump's Semiconductor Overhaul Originally due to take effect on May 15, the Trump administration will no longer enforce the Biden administration's three-tier export control framework for advanced U.S. semiconductors. In its place, a new regulatory policy is reportedly being drafted , emphasizing negotiations with Saudi Arabia and other strategic nations. The Biden-era framework categorized countries into three tiers based on their strategic relationship with the U.S., offering near-unrestricted access to allies like the U.K. (Tier 1), while banning exports to adversaries like China (Tier 3). However, now the Trump administration plans to abandon this structure. The administration's new export control strategy will reportedly focus on bilateral agreements, particularly with nations like Saudi Arabia. "The Biden AI rule is overly complex, overly bureaucratic, and would stifle American innovation," the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security said in a statement to Reuters. "We will be replacing it with a much simpler rule that unleashes American innovation and ensures American AI dominance," they added. The AI Diffusion Rule Commonly called the "AI Diffusion Rule," the Biden-era regulation was designed to safeguard U.S. high-performance AI technology from falling into adversaries' hands. It required companies to implement strict security protocols, including detailed record-keeping and compliance reporting. Critics argued the policy imposed excessive red tape, limiting U.S. competitiveness in a fast-moving global market. The policy faced opposition from major chipmakers, including Nvidia , which argued that the rule hindered domestic innovation. Nvidia recently criticized Amazon-backed AI startup Anthropic for defending the regulation. "American firms should focus on innovation and rise to the challenge, rather than tell tall tales that large, heavy, and sensitive electronics are somehow smuggled in 'baby bumps' or 'alongside live lobsters,'" a spokesperson for Nvidia said. China Remains the Central Concern The core of the regulatory debate centers on preventing U.S. technology from reaching China. Since 2022, the U.S. has introduced increasingly stringent measures aimed at curbing China's access to advanced AI technologies. The AI Diffusion Rule, issued during Biden's final week in office, expanded these restrictions globally. The policy barred direct exports and indirect transfers and re-exports of sensitive AI-related components to China, even when routed through third countries. Despite opposition to the rule, the Trump administration has signaled that it still plans to enforce strict measures against countries like Thailand that have allegedly diverted semiconductors to China.
[13]
Trump administration to rescind 'overly complex' Biden-era curbs on...
President Trump's administration plans to rescind and modify a Biden-era rule that curbed on the export of sophisticated artificial intelligence chips, a spokeswoman for the Commerce Department said Wednesday. The regulation was aimed at further restricting AI chip and technology exports, dividing up the world to keep advanced computing power in the United States and among its allies while finding more ways to block China's access. The Framework for Artificial Intelligence Diffusion was issued in January, a week before the end of the administration of former President Joe Biden. It capped a four-year effort by the Biden administration to hobble China's access to advanced chips that could enhance its military capabilities and to maintain US leadership in AI. "The Biden AI rule is overly complex, overly bureaucratic, and would stymie American innovation," the Commerce spokeswoman said. "We will be replacing it with a much simpler rule that unleashes American innovation and ensures American AI dominance." Last week, Reuters reported that the Trump administration was working on changes to the rule that would limit global access to AI chips, including possibly doing away with its splitting the world into tiers that help determine how many advanced semiconductors a country can obtain. According to the Commerce spokeswoman, officials "didn't like the tiered system" and said the rule was "unenforceable." The spokeswoman did not have a timetable for the new rule. She said debate was still under way on the best course of action. The Biden rule was set to take effect on May 15. Shares of Nvidia, an AI chip designer whose sales could rise if the rule were changed to increase exports, ended 3% higher after the news came out on Wednesday, but then dipped 0.7% in after-hours trade. The Biden rule divided the world into three tiers: 17 countries and Taiwan were in the first tier, which could receive unlimited chips. Some 120 other countries were in the second tier, which was subject to caps on the number of chips the countries could receive. In the third tier, countries of concern including China, Russia, Iran and North Korea were blocked from the chips. But Trump administration officials are weighing discarding the tiered approach to access in the rule and replacing it with a global licensing regime with government-to-government agreements, sources told Reuters last week.
[14]
Trump officials likely to allow Biden-era AI chip export rule to lapse - Jefferies By Investing.com
Investing.com - U.S. President Donald Trump administration is likely to allow a Biden-era rule curbing some artificial intelligence chip exports to lapse, according to analysts at Jefferies. The regulations, which were issued a week prior to the end of former President Joe Biden's term in the White House earlier this year, were designed to restrict AI chip and technology exports to enhance U.S. computing capabilities and hobble those of rivals like China. On Wednesday, Reuters reported that Trump officials plan to rescind and modify the regulations, which were due to take effect on May 15. A spokeswoman for the Commerce Department told Reuters that "the Biden AI rule is overly complex, overly bureaucratic, and would stymie American innovation". She added that it will be replaced by "a much simpler rule", Reuters added. Previous media reports had suggested that the White House was looking to specifically do away with the Biden rule's dividing of the world into separate tiers that would determine their access to cutting-edge AI chip exports from the U.S. Under the Biden rule, the world would be separated into three tiers. Taiwan and 17 countries would be included in the first, and would have unlimited access to AI chips. Around 120 other countries would be in a second tier that would face more export caps, while a third -- which folded in China, Russia, North Korea, Iran -- were totally barred from the receiving the processors. The Commerce Department spokeswoman called this system "unenforceable", although she did not provide a timeline for the implementation of a new rule, Reuters said. Some Trump officials are considering replacing the tiered system with a global licensing regime that would allow for agreements to be secured by individual governments, Reuters reported. In a note to clients, the Jefferies analysts said this approach would help Trump combine advanced chip access with his ongoing reciprocal tariffs to "maximize the U.S.'s bargaining power" in negotiations with other countries. However, they noted that "the final details of government-to-government deals could take longer to finalize". Shares in U.S. AI chip giant Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) and peer Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) were higher in premarket trading on Thursday. The stocks rose on Wednesday following the Reuters report.
[15]
Towards a lifting of restrictions on AI chips?
The information was published by Bloomberg News: Donald Trump is reportedly considering lifting some of the restrictions on the export of artificial intelligence chips. An idea that, on paper, seems rather puzzling when we remember that the president recently tightened these same rules, causing a $5.55 billion loss in revenue for Nvidia, while a new Chinese competitor is stepping up the pressure. So there is no question of opening the floodgates to AI. In reality, several scenarios are on the table. It remains to be seen which one will be chosen. As we said, there will be no simple or straightforward reversal. Trump is concerned about the development of Chinese AI, led by DeepSeek, and is unlikely to suddenly adopt a conciliatory stance. The most logical scenario remains a cancellation of the rules put in place by Joe Biden, not to lift the restrictions, but to redraw the contours in his own way. In short: to regain control of the narrative. However, he is likely to seek to relax certain points after repeated complaints from key players in the sector, such as Nvidia and Microsoft. Another, even more Trumpian option is tariffs. The tariff threat, still up his sleeve, could return to the forefront. The president had mentioned an investigation into a possible sector-specific tariff mechanism, promising to unveil its findings quickly. Since then? Radio silence. Everything suggests that a new wave of tariffs targeting American tech, AI chips, smartphones, computers, and the like could be in the works.
Share
Share
Copy Link
The Trump administration plans to roll back the Biden administration's AI chip export restrictions, citing complexity and potential hindrance to American innovation. This move is expected to impact the global AI chip market and U.S. relations with various countries.
The Trump administration has announced plans to rescind and replace a Biden-era rule regulating the export of high-end AI accelerator chips worldwide. The Department of Commerce spokeswoman stated that officials found the previous framework "overly complex, overly bureaucratic, and would stymie American innovation" 12. The administration pledged to create "a much simpler rule that unleashes American innovation and ensures American AI dominance" 1.
The Biden administration's Framework for Artificial Intelligence Diffusion, set to take effect on May 15, established a three-tiered system for regulating AI chip exports 12:
This framework was part of a four-year effort to control global access to advanced AI chips, focusing on restricting China's ability to obtain technology that could enhance its military capabilities 1.
The Trump administration is considering discarding the tiered approach in favor of a global licensing system with government-to-government agreements 1. This could involve direct negotiations with nations like the United Arab Emirates or Saudi Arabia rather than applying broad regional restrictions 14.
News of the planned policy shift immediately affected markets, with shares of Nvidia rising 3 percent after the announcement 1. Nvidia welcomed the administration's new direction, stating that it would provide "a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lead the next industrial revolution" 5.
The proposed changes have drawn mixed reactions from various stakeholders:
While the Trump administration seeks to revise global export rules for AI processors, it has reinforced restrictions against China's access to advanced AI GPUs designed in the U.S. 2. This has led to significant financial write-downs for companies like AMD and Nvidia 2.
Concerns have been raised about potential loopholes in the new system. Some experts worry that countries like Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore might be used to smuggle advanced GPUs to China 2. The administration will need to address these concerns in its new policy to maintain effective control over sensitive technology exports.
As the debate continues, the final form of the new export control policy remains uncertain. The Commerce Department spokeswoman indicated that officials are still discussing the best approach to replace the Biden-era rule, with no established timetable for the final version 14.
Reference
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
The Trump administration is contemplating significant changes to Biden-era AI chip export regulations, potentially replacing the tiered system with a global licensing regime to strengthen US leverage in trade negotiations.
8 Sources
8 Sources
Tech companies and foreign officials are urging the Trump administration to reconsider the AI diffusion rule, which restricts the export of advanced AI processors globally. The policy, introduced by the Biden administration, faces criticism for potentially hampering AI development and international investments.
3 Sources
3 Sources
The Trump administration's reported plans to rescind Biden-era AI chip export restrictions have led to a surge in semiconductor stocks. The move aims to simplify regulations while maintaining control over chip exports to China.
4 Sources
4 Sources
Microsoft warns that Biden-era AI chip export controls could inadvertently benefit China's AI sector and undermine U.S. leadership in AI technology. The company calls on the Trump administration to revise these restrictions to maintain U.S. competitiveness and support allies.
14 Sources
14 Sources
The Biden Administration's new AI export control policy, set to take effect in May 2025, aims to restrict the sale of advanced AI chips globally. Nvidia, a major player in the AI hardware market, strongly opposes the measure, citing potential harm to innovation and US competitiveness.
3 Sources
3 Sources
The Outpost is a comprehensive collection of curated artificial intelligence software tools that cater to the needs of small business owners, bloggers, artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, marketers, writers, and researchers.
© 2025 TheOutpost.AI All rights reserved