Biden Administration Targets Foreign AI Development in U.S. Cloud Centers.

The Biden administration is escalating its efforts to regulate the use of U.S. technology in artificial intelligence (AI) development by foreign entities, particularly China. As disclosed by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, a new proposal mandates U.S. cloud companies to scrutinize whether their data centers are being accessed by non-state actors or countries like China for AI model training. This move is part of a series of measures aimed at preventing the misuse of American AI technology for purposes that could threaten national security.

Under this proposed "know your customer" regulation, cloud computing companies will be required to verify the identity of foreign users and maintain stringent checks on accounts using U.S. cloud services. The regulation, set to be officially published on Monday, is being hailed as a significant step in safeguarding American technological interests.

Last month's directive by the Commerce Department to restrict Nvidia from exporting high-end AI chips to China exemplifies the U.S. government's growing concerns over the potential military and security implications of advanced AI systems developed by Beijing. The proposed rules will necessitate cloud firms to annually certify compliance and implement robust identity verification processes for foreign customers.

Raimondo emphasized the criticality of this initiative, stating that non-compliance by companies would be a significant concern. The measure follows President Biden's executive order requiring AI developers to report safety test results for systems posing risks to national security or public welfare.

The Commerce Department is preparing to issue survey requests to companies for compliance within a 30-day timeframe. This proactive stance by the U.S. government underscores the strategic importance of AI and the need to control its development and application, especially by foreign entities that may not align with U.S. interests. Critics, however, warn that such stringent regulations might impede international collaboration in the rapidly evolving field of AI.