Regulating AI Chips for Governance of Frontier AI Development

Regulating the use of AI chips can enable governments to govern frontier AI development and set rules for who can develop advanced AI models and under what regulations. While regulating data or algorithms is challenging, AI chips are physical objects that can be tracked and restricted by governments. The global supply chain for AI chips is dominated by a small number of companies and countries, giving governments the ability to enforce safety standards for importing AI chips. However, regulating AI chips may only temporarily regulate the development of potentially dangerous AI models, as the number and sophistication of chips needed to train AI models decreases over time. Well-resourced states could continue development without relying on cutting-edge AI chips, and changes in AI chip manufacturing could make export restrictions difficult to enforce.