U.S. tech group urges the Biden admin to halt rule that would limit global access to AI chips

A technology industry group representing companies like Amazon, Microsoft and Meta on Tuesday urged President Joe Biden's administration to refrain from issuing a last-minute rule that would control global access to AI chips, warning the restrictions would jeopardize US leadership in artificial intelligence. The White House and the Department of Commerce have not responded, according to Reuter's report on Tuesday.

The report said that the rule, which could come out as soon as Friday, would place arbitrary constraints on US companies' ability to sell computing systems overseas and cede the global market to competitors.

The Information Technology Industry Council (lTl) CEO Jason Oxman criticized the administration's "insistence" on publishing the rule in the final days of Joe Biden's presidency, according to a letter to US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, the Reuters report said.

"Rushing a consequential and complex rule to completion could have significant adverse consequences," Oxman said in the January 7 letter, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters.

As of the press times, neither the US' Commerce Department nor the White House have responded to requests for comment.

Reuters said the industry opposition to the expected rule has become increasingly blunt and public.