(MENAFN) Amidst escalating concerns over national security and technological competition, the Biden administration is contemplating imposing restrictions on the export of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models to China, according to reports from Reuters. Citing government sources, the proposed ban would be enforced by the UNITED STATES Department of Commerce and is part of a broader effort to safeguard critical technologies from falling into the hands of geopolitical rivals.
The potential export ban targets AI models that power cutting-edge systems, such as ChatGPT, and would be based on the computing power required to train these models. By limiting the export of the most resource-intensive and advanced AI models, the UNITED STATES aims to mitigate the risk of technological proliferation and maintain a strategic advantage in the AI domain.
The framework for such export controls was outlined in President Joe Biden's executive order on AI issued last year, which mandates tech companies to share "safety test results and other critical information" with the Commerce Department once a model reaches a specified threshold of development. While commercially-available AI models like GPT-4, Gemini, or Claude have yet to meet this threshold, experts suggest that certain models, such as Google Deepmind's Gemini Ultra, are approaching the designated criteria.
This move builds upon existing restrictions imposed by the UNITED STATES on the sale of high-end computer technologies to China. Former President Donald Trump initiated measures in 2020 to ban the export of equipment utilized in the production of advanced semiconductors to Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC), China's leading chip manufacturer. President Biden expanded these restrictions in 2022 to encompass all state-owned chip factories in China and to curtail Chinese firms' access to certain chips manufactured globally using American tools.
The Commerce Department has justified these measures by citing concerns over China's use of advanced technologies for military purposes, including the development of weapons of mass destruction, and allegations of human rights abuses. By tightening controls on the export of AI models, the Biden administration seeks to assert greater control over critical technologies and uphold national security interests in the face of evolving geopolitical dynamics. However, the proposed export ban is likely to intensify tensions between the UNITED STATES and China, further complicating bilateral relations and shaping the trajectory of global technological competition.
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