Overview
- The bipartisan SAFE CHIPS Act directs the Commerce Department to deny licenses for AI accelerators more powerful than currently allowed to China, Russia, Iran and North Korea for 30 months.
- After the freeze, Commerce would have to brief Congress 30 days before any export-rule changes take effect.
- Lawmakers filed the bill as the White House weighs easing restrictions, with backers explicitly targeting potential approvals for H200 and Blackwell shipments.
- Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang urged Washington to avoid broader curbs in meetings with the president and senators, drawing criticism from lawmakers who questioned his objectivity.
- AMD says it has secured licenses to sell accelerators into China and is prepared to pay a 15% levy to the U.S. government, while chipmakers warn stricter limits could accelerate China’s domestic chip push.