The US administration has advised companies around the world to stop using artificial intelligence (AI) chips from Chinese manufacturer Huawei, the Financial Times (FT) newspaper reported, citing its sources.
The use of such microprocessors “could lead to criminal sanctions for violating US export controls“. Huawei's Ascend processors are subject to export controls because they almost certainly contain or were manufactured with US technology, the US Commerce Department said.
The tightening of rules on foreign artificial intelligence chips includes “a statement that the use of Huawei Ascend chips anywhere in the world violates US export controls“, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security said. According to The bureau said the recommendations concern three Huawei Ascend chips - the 910B, 910C and 910D. They were likely "developed using certain US software or technology or manufactured on equipment that is a direct product of certain US software or technology, or both."
Washington issued the warning amid "growing US concerns about the pace at which Huawei is developing advanced AI chips and other equipment," the report said. Huawei has begun shipping "clusters" of AI chips to customers in China that the Chinese company says outperform a similar product from leading US AI chipmaker Nvidia in key metrics such as total computing power and memory capacity.
There are growing concerns in the US that the Chinese technology leader will soon start selling AI processors that could compete with those of Nvidia and other US companies in overseas markets, the FT notes.