In a recent interview, Nvidia’s president and CEO, Jensen Huang, discussed the increasing importance of the company’s powerful semiconductors in fueling artificial intelligence (AI). However, concerns have been raised about the potential risks associated with these advanced chips falling into the wrong hands. U.S. China hawks fear that this technology could be used to spread non-democratic ideas or develop autonomous weapons.
Eileen Donahoe, executive director of Stanford University’s Global Digital Policy Incubator and former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Human Rights Council, highlighted the potential risks and emphasized the need for democratic countries to lead in technology development to protect democracy and human rights.
Recognizing the urgency to stay ahead, U.S. AI executives have warned the government about China’s rapid progress in AI development. As a response, the Commerce Department is reportedly considering new limitations on exporting AI-capable chips to China. Nvidia has already created a version of its popular AI chip, the A100, specifically for the Chinese market. The proposed limitations would further restrict sales to China, even with a license.
This move would escalate the ongoing technology sales standoff between the U.S. and Chinese governments. In May, the Chinese government prohibited “critical information infrastructure” from purchasing products from U.S. memory chipmaker Micron, citing security concerns. The U.S. Commerce Department, on the other hand, opposed these restrictions that lacked factual basis.
Limiting the sale of AI-capable chips to China would pose challenges for Chinese companies in keeping up with the pace of development set by U.S. companies like Google and Microsoft-backed OpenAI. While Chinese companies may have alternative advanced chips or slower semiconductors, further limitations on high-speed chips could hinder their agility in the AI race.
It’s important to note that AI development without proper regulations can lead to harmful consequences. AI models can perpetuate discrimination in various contexts, and they can also be manipulated to produce convincing propaganda or even develop autonomous weapons.
The Commerce Department and Nvidia have yet to comment on the proposed limitations.
— CNBC’s Kristina Partsinevelos contributed to this report.
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