The White House is looking to expand restrictions on Nvidia and AMD’s AI chip exports to more countries

The Biden administration has privately discussed the sale of advanced AI chips from Nvidia and AMD to certain Persian Gulf countries for national security purposes, Bloomberg reported Monday. The restriction may limit export licenses to certain countries, most likely Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which invest heavily in AI data centers.

The White House increasingly views American AI chips as an important asset on the world stage. Last year, the United States banned the sale of Nvidia and AMD’s advanced AI chips in China, and imposed export restrictions on 40 other countries around the world to close loopholes through which AI chips could indirectly reach China.

Recent reported discussions may indicate that US officials are concerned about the global influence of the Persian Gulf on the AI ​​industry. This year, Saudi Arabia reportedly plans to launch a $40 billion fund to invest in AI technology, and OpenAI is reportedly in talks with a UAE-backed investment fund to participate in its latest $6.6 billion funding round.