Staff Reports
The Biden administration is making a move to regulate artificial intelligence just days before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. It seems they are eager to leave behind a complicated mess of AI regulations, forcing Trump to scramble to figure out a way to unravel it. The Department of Commerce’s new Interim Final Rule on Artificial Intelligence Diffusion aims to control advanced AI technology, particularly targeting top-tier AI chips and their models. The plan is clear: keep cutting-edge technology away from foreign adversaries while doling it out to allies. Sounds more like a high-stakes game of tech chess than responsible governance.
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is doing her best to spin this as an avant-garde regulatory play. She claims that efforts are in place to keep “ordinary commercial business in AI” running smoothly. But it’s hard to take that seriously when it feels like the Biden team wants to tie the incoming administration’s hands. The clock is ticking; Trump’s team has 120 days to weigh in before being forced to live by the outgoing administration’s rules. It’s a classic move: set the stage and let the next guy deal with the consequences.
BIDEN EXPANDS AI CHIP RESTRICTIONS Plus NVIDIA Rolls Out Personal AI Supercomputer ▶️The US plans stricter global AI chip export controls, tiering countries and limiting shipments to non-allies to prevent circumvention and enhance security.🔽(subscribe below) pic.twitter.com/imQ1AAr5bp
— Cʜʀɪs Kᴀʟᴀʙᴏᴜᴋɪs, AI Fᴜᴛᴜʀɪsᴛ (@thinkfuture) January 13, 2025
While the Biden administration talks a big game about soliciting feedback from experts and industry players, the semiconductor industry is on the edge of its seat. Concerns are mounting that these rushed regulations could stifle American tech innovation. The Semiconductor Industry Association is already voicing its apprehensions about the ambitious scope and complexity of the upcoming regulations. With their pants on fire, Oracle’s Ken Glueck went so far as to say the restrictions could be “one of the most destructive to ever hit the U.S. technology industry.” An ominous prediction, indeed.
Raimondo insists they’ve made allowances for friendly nations and businesses. She claims that the new regulations will exclude supply chain activities and even gaming chips, whether or not they come close to AI capabilities. How generous! The administration plans to clamp down on troublesome countries like Cuba, Iran, and Russia, while leaving allies like Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan with fewer restrictions. It’s almost as if they’re attempting to create a tech utopia based solely on who’s friendly in politics rather than fostering innovation across the board.
Despite the grand plans, the tech world is sounding the alarm. There’s a distinct sense that the Biden administration’s heavy-handed approach to AI regulation misses the mark. Rather than enabling and fostering growth in the tech sector, these new rules threaten to strangle it. The industry is begging for a simple government exit rather than a messy encroachment on the market. If the Biden administration wants to promote responsible AI, it might consider stepping aside and letting the industry do what it does best: innovate without unnecessary bureaucratic roadblocks.
