A bipartisan group of United States senators has unveiled legislation that would block President Donald Trump's administration from loosening rules restricting China's access to artificial intelligence chips for 2.5 years.
The bill, known as the SAFE CHIPS Act, was filed Thursday by Republican Senator Pete Ricketts of Nebraska and Democrat Chris Coons of Delaware, with prominent Republican China hawk Tom Cotton among the supporters.
Why This Matters
Advanced AI chips represent critical national security technology. The semiconductors power everything from military AI systems to facial recognition, autonomous weapons, and surveillance capabilities. Current export restrictions aim to prevent China from developing AI capabilities that could threaten US technological and military superiority.
Senators fear the Trump administration might ease these restrictions as part of broader negotiations with China over trade, tariffs, or diplomatic issues. The SAFE CHIPS Act would prevent such moves for 2.5 years regardless of diplomatic pressures or deal-making.
Current Export Restrictions
The Biden administration implemented strict controls on exports of advanced AI chips to China, particularly targeting:
NVIDIA's high-end AI training chips (H100, A100 series)
AMD's advanced AI accelerators
Cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing equipment
Design software and technical knowledge
These restrictions significantly hampered China's ability to develop frontier AI models competitive with American systems like GPT-5, Claude, and Gemini. Chinese tech companies have struggled to obtain sufficient computing power for large-scale AI training.
Bipartisan Concerns
The bill's bipartisan support reflects rare Washington consensus on China policy. Republican Tom Cotton, known for hawkish positions on Beijing, joining with Democrat Chris Coons demonstrates that restricting China's AI capabilities transcends typical partisan divisions.
Senators argue that regardless of other diplomatic or economic considerations, advanced AI chips should remain restricted due to their strategic importance. The technology enables military applications, surveillance systems, and economic capabilities that could directly threaten American interests.
Trump's Position Uncertain
The Trump administration hasn't formally proposed loosening AI chip export restrictions, but the bill appears designed to preempt potential policy changes. Trump has emphasized deal-making with China and previously criticized some Biden-era China policies as unnecessarily confrontational.
Technology industry leaders have lobbied for relaxed restrictions, arguing they harm American chip companies' revenues and push Chinese buyers toward developing independent alternatives. NVIDIA and other semiconductor firms lose billions in potential Chinese sales due to current restrictions.
The Debate
Supporters of restrictions argue:
National security trumps commercial considerations
China would use advanced AI chips for military and surveillance
Maintaining technological superiority requires denying rivals critical tools
Short-term commercial losses prevent long-term strategic threats
Critics of restrictions argue:
China will eventually develop alternatives, making restrictions temporary
American companies lose revenue that funds R&D for next-generation chips
Restrictions harm US technological leadership by limiting market size
Other countries may sell similar technology, making US restrictions ineffective
What Happens Next
The SAFE CHIPS Act faces uncertain prospects in Congress. While China policy has bipartisan support, the bill would constrain presidential authority on trade and technology policy—something that could face resistance from Trump allies prioritizing executive flexibility.
The 2.5-year timeframe suggests senators want stability in AI chip policy through the remainder of Trump's term, preventing sudden policy shifts that could undermine US technological advantages for diplomatic or commercial reasons.
