Chip curbs may have long-term negative impacts on AI

A growing consensus in Washington towards tightening restrictions on China’s access to cutting-edge chip technology will have a negative, long-term impact on the AI sector and the US itself, a leading outlet warned. New regulations and legislation aiming in particular to cut off “remote access” — whereby Chinese firms use US-made processors via data centers in third countries — “will have consequences,” SemiAnalysis warned, “and we don’t think politicians are thinking them through.”

Today’s status quo offers Washington insight into the activities of Chinese AI firms, leverage to cut off remote access, and has dulled Beijing’s motivations to speedily develop its own chip sector. “Maybe biggest of all,” because Chinese labs largely develop open-source AI, “open source is under attack.”

— Prashant Rao