On Monday, the Biden Administration unveiled its Interim Final Rule on Artificial Intelligence Diffusion. This pivotal regulation aims to streamline licensing hurdles associated with both large and small chip orders. Additionally, it provides much-needed clarity for allied and partner nations keen on accessing advanced semiconductor technology.
According to an announcement from The White House, there are no restrictions on chip sales to 18 key allies and partners. Notably, chip orders that collectively possess computation power up to approximately 1,700 advanced GPUs do not require a license, nor do they count against the national chip caps established by previous regulations. This new rule is a continuation of regulatory efforts that began with chip controls enacted in October 2022 and further refined in October 2023.
The overarching goal is to balance national security with technological advancement and collaboration among trusted allies. Moreover, the administration emphasizes the importance of ensuring that advanced semiconductors sold to foreign entities are not utilized by 'countries of concern' to train sophisticated AI systems.
As part of this strategy, the transfer of model weights for advanced closed-weight AI systems is being carefully restricted to prevent access by 'non-trusted actors'. In addition to these measures, the establishment of security standards designed to protect the weights of advanced closed-weight AI models is also an integral part of the actions being implemented by the United States.
This approach reflects a proactive stance toward safeguarding technological integrity while encouraging innovation in the AI field..