US weighs more limits on China's access to AI chips
Technology
US weighs more limits on China's access to AI chips
(Reuters) - The Biden administration is considering further restrictions on China's access to chip technology used for artificial intelligence, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
The measures being discussed would limit China's ability to use a cutting-edge chip architecture known as gate-all-around or GAA, the report said.
GAA is a type of transistor architecture that helps improve chip performance and reduces power consumption.
The United States has been working to limit Beijing's access to advanced AI chips, such as those designed by leader Nvidia, through tightened trade restrictions amid fears that China may use the technology to bolster its military.
With the scope of the potential rule still being determined, it is not clear when officials will make a final decision, the report said.
The rule is not yet finalized after industry officials criticized the first version as overly broad, the report said, adding that it is unclear whether the ban would restrict China's ability to develop its own GAA chips or seek to block US chipmakers and other overseas companies from selling their products to Chinese firms.
The companies did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment, while the US Department of Commerce declined to comment.
Stricter restrictions on exports of advanced semiconductors to China have already hampered chipmakers' position, with companies such as Intel and Qualcomm saying their sales would take a hit after the US revoked some of their export licenses for a customer in China.
The Bloomberg report also said there have been some early-stage discussions about limiting exports of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips.
