AI Safety Fundamentals: Governance

Choking off China’s Access to the Future of AI

May 13, 2023

The podcast discusses the new export controls policy on AI and semiconductor technologies announced by the Biden administration. It explores the impact of these controls on US-China relations and the criticism received by the administration. The podcast also delves into the actions taken by the US government to control key technologies in the global semiconductor supply chain. It highlights the new export controls' impact on China's AI and semiconductor industries, as well as the growing divide between the US and China in the field of AI.

07:52

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Quick takeaways

The new export controls on AI and semiconductor technologies to China aim to strengthen China's domestic chip design ecosystem in the long run.

The US aims to retain control over chokepoint technologies in the global semiconductor supply chain by blocking China's access to advanced AI chips, chip design software, and chip manufacturing equipment.

Deep dives

US export controls on AI and semiconductor technologies to China

The Biden administration announced new export controls on artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor technologies to China, which blocked leading US AI computer chip designers from selling their high-end chips to China. While this policy initially received criticism for potentially benefiting Chinese chip companies in the short term, it is part of a larger strategy to strengthen China's domestic chip design ecosystem in the long run. The US government aims to retain control over chokepoint technologies in the global semiconductor supply chain, including AI chip designs, electronic design automation software, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and components.

Introduction

2min

Controlling Chokepoint Technologies in the Global Semiconductor Supply Chain

3min

United States' Actions to Restrict China's Access to AI and Semiconductor Industries

3min

Introduction On October 7, 2022, the Biden administration announced a new export controls policy on artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor technologies to China. These new controls—a genuine landmark in U.S.-China relations—provide the complete picture after a partial disclosure in early September generated confusion. For weeks the Biden administration has been receiving criticism in many quarters for a new round of semiconductor export control restrictions, first disclosed on September 1. The restrictions block leading U.S. AI computer chip designers, such as Nvidia and AMD, from selling their high-end chips for AI and supercomputing to China. The criticism typically goes like this: China’s domestic AI chip design companies could not win customers in China because their chip designs could not compete with Nvidia and AMD on performance. Chinese firms could not catch up to Nvidia and AMD on performance because they did not have enough customers to benefit from economies of scale and network effects.

Source:

https://www.csis.org/analysis/choking-chinas-access-future-ai

Narrated for AI Safety Fundamentals by Perrin Walker of TYPE III AUDIO.

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A podcast by BlueDot Impact.

Learn more on the AI Safety Fundamentals website.