Trump Tariffs Roil AI and Tech Sectors with GPU Exemption Uncertainty

Sweeping tariffs exclude semiconductors but leave critical AI components in limbo, fueling market instability and supply chain challenges.

President Trump's new tariffs impose 34% duties on Chinese imports and 32% on Taiwanese imports, with semiconductors exempt but ambiguity surrounding GPUs.
The lack of clarity on GPU exemptions has caused confusion across the tech industry, with major companies like Nvidia and TSMC seeing significant stock declines.
China has retaliated with restrictions on rare earth mineral exports, which are vital for electronics manufacturing, further straining global supply chains.
Tech companies and foreign governments are lobbying the Trump administration for clarity and potential exemptions to mitigate rising costs for AI data centers and electronics.
Nvidia is accelerating U.S.-based manufacturing to reduce tariff impacts, while experts warn that domestic production transitions will be costly and time-consuming.