The week has seen the U.S. government get a bipartisan congressional committee’s call for the strengthening of export controls on Nvidia chips; the latter found usage by DeepSeek, the name given by reports to one Chinese artificial intelligence startup.
Congressional representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., and John Moolenaar, R-Mich., urged Michael Waltz, National Security Adviser, to put in a blanket ban on chip exports for those where chip export control made pretty heavy usage by H20 chip. Lawmakers suggested similar advanced chips made for export from the country, including those from Singapore, may also be subject to a prohibition on export if there is proof that they make their way into China.
This is after DeepSeek unveiled its AI model R1, which it claims was developed with less advanced chips at a lower cost than U.S. equivalents. The Biden administration had earlier enforced export controls to prevent China from advancing its military and surveillance capabilities through AI.
The firm has also asserted that its products are by all government regulations, emphasizing that the firm adheres to export guidelines. “We are ready to work with the administration as it shapes its approach to AI,” said an Nvidia spokesperson. The firm also denied the allegations that the chips destined for Singapore were being diverted to China.
The lawmakers argue that the U.S. controls are fine but are outdated most of the time and allow China to exploit loopholes. They also proposed banning federal agencies from acquiring AI systems based on Chinese models, which they said posed a national security risk.
Known for pushing for a harder line against China, the Select Committee previously played a role in policy decisions, such as the TikTok ban. Escalating tensions over AI competition are now placing pressure on the U.S. to tighten up its technology export policies.
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