The U.S. has tightened regulations, further restricting Chinese access to AI chips and laptops, as part of an effort to limit Beijing’s chip industry over national security concerns. The Commerce Department recently updated these rules, initially issued in October, to include laptops containing advanced AI chips designed by companies like Nvidia. These revised regulations, spanning 166 pages, will take effect next week, according to Reuters.
The Commerce Department, which oversees export controls, plans ongoing updates to these restrictions to strengthen and fine-tune measures related to technology shipments to China.
Additionally, the Biden administration is compiling a list of Chinese chipmaking factories barred from accessing critical tools. This initiative aims to help companies better identify which Chinese factories are producing advanced chips, a task they have found challenging. In 2022, the Commerce Department prohibited U.S. companies from shipping equipment to Chinese factories making advanced chips, but companies have struggled to pinpoint which factories are affected.
“People are like, ‘please, just tell us which are these advanced [factories] that you really care about,’” said an official speaking on a panel, confirming ongoing work on the list. The list’s release is anticipated within the next few months, though it may not be exhaustive. “But the more that we can help identify what are these facilities that we have a concern with, hopefully that’s going to help,” the official added.