The US government is worried about China’s technological advancements, fearing that Chinese experts will use their artificial intelligence software against them.
Due to these concerns, the US Department of Commerce is introducing a law that, starting January 6, will require companies to obtain licenses to export certain software featuring artificial intelligence-enhanced geographic imagery to Canada and other countries.
This software can help drones and satellites identify various locations and objects, which is why US officials fear that it could fall into the hands of China and other hostile countries.
Under this law, it will be tougher to issue software licenses to countries with which the United States does not have friendly relations.
Biden administration officials said they had discussed the regulations with the incoming administration.
“It is absolutely sure that the Trump administration will wind back a lot of what Biden has put out there,” he said. “There’s going to be a big play for innovation and growth in the US and a drawback from the approach to AI regulation.”
The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a tech policy thinktank, said it thought the US would be better served by a strategy focused on competition, instead of “containment”.
“By pressuring other nations to choose between the United States and China, the administration risks alienating key partners and inadvertently strengthening China’s position in the global AI ecosystem,” vice president Daniel Castro said.
“Confronted with such an ultimatum, many countries may opt for the side offering them uninterrupted access to the AI technologies vital for their economic growth and digital futures”.
