US Commerce Department confirms harsh new AI export rules, shoots down reports over the return of Biden-era AI Diffusion rule — DoC to formalize a new approach to strategic AI accelerator export controls

The US Commerce Department is planning to implement new AI export rules that require buyers of large quantities of AI accelerators to invest in US AI infrastructure. The proposed rules introduce a multi-level licensing structure based on computing capacity, with different requirements for small, medium, and large shipments. The Department clarified that these new rules are not a return to the burdensome AI Diffusion Rule from the Biden era. The regulations aim to promote secure exports of American tech while potentially making AI hardware more expensive for certain countries. The final version of the rules is still pending, and some requirements may change.