U.S. to Implement AI Export Controls in Response to Technological Advances by China and Russia

The U.S. government is ramping up efforts to strengthen its defenses against advancements in artificial intelligence technology coming from China and Russia. With a specific focus on limiting access to advanced AI models like those used in platforms such as ChatGPT, the Biden administration is considering implementing restrictions on exporting proprietary or closed-source AI models.

Insider sources revealed that the U.S. Commerce Department is contemplating regulatory actions to limit the export of advanced AI models, which are crucial components of AI systems and feature closely guarded underlying software and training data. This move is seen as a response to competitive pressures in the AI sector and escalating national security concerns.

The Chinese Embassy has criticized the potential export controls as economic coercion and unilateral bullying, stating that China firmly opposes such measures and will take necessary actions to protect its interests. This comes in the wake of the administration withdrawing export licenses from tech giants Intel and Qualcomm, preventing them from supplying specific goods to Huawei as part of increased pressure on the Chinese telecoms manufacturer.

The proposed export controls are aimed at safeguarding against potential misuse by adversarial nations like China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran. In line with this, President Joe Biden issued an Executive Order in October to ensure that America leads in managing the risks of AI, establishing new standards for AI safety and security to protect privacy.

Under the order, developers of powerful AI systems would be required to share safety test results and critical information with the U.S. government. The administration is also looking to develop standards, tools, and tests to ensure that AI systems are safe, secure, and trustworthy. The potential benchmark tied to computing power for AI model export controls would determine which models fall under restrictions, according to sources familiar with the discussions.