US imposes broader restrictions on chip exports to Chinese companies – IT Pro – News


The US has issued new export restrictions that require US corporations wishing to export chips to China to first apply for a license from the federal government. Chips made partly with US know-how are additionally topic to the restrictions.

In keeping with the US Division of Commerce, the brand new export restrictions ought to be certain that sure chip applied sciences don’t fall into the palms of the Chinese language navy and Chinese language intelligence providers. The US authorities states in its official documentation common laptop chips and semiconductors supposed to be used in ‘supercomputers’, however the authorities additionally makes reference to navy tools that makes use of semiconductors.

The US authorities defines a supercomputer as a pc system that has a most computing energy of 100 petaflops. That is if it’s a 64-bit system. Within the case of a 32-bit system, a most of 200 petaflops is the benchmark for a supercomputer. In keeping with sources who might communicate to the editors of Reutersthis additionally places Chinese language industrial knowledge facilities in main cities akin to Beijing within the crosshairs.

The brand new restrictions come after the US authorities introduced earlier this yr had imposed a restriction to US corporations KLA Corp, Lam Analysis Corp and Utilized Supplies. These corporations have been now not allowed to export chip manufacturing tools to Chinese language corporations that make sub-14nm chips of their factories, except they’re licensed to take action. Additionally the American corporations AMD and Nvidia heard final summer season that they have been now not allowed to export sure AI accelerators to China. This was solely doable if that they had permission from the American authorities.