The European Union has scored a significant victory after the United States lifted planned restrictions on the export of artificial intelligence (AI) chips to the bloc, which were due to take effect this month.
The Biden administration initially announced in January that some EU countries would be placed in a group with unrestricted access to AI chips, while others, including Poland, would face restrictions from May 15. These chips are critical to the development of modern AI models and key to Europe's ambitious plans in the sector.
The US Department of Commerce announced on Tuesday that it had launched a process to repeal the measures, prompting a positive response from the European Commission.
"We welcome the US decision to repeal this rule," Commission spokesman Thomas Rainier told "Politico". "We are pleased that the administration has recognized that such restrictions would undermine US diplomatic relations with dozens of countries."
The decision comes at a time of tension between Brussels and Washington over EU rules on digital competition, content moderation and artificial intelligence.
European Commission Executive Vice President Henna Virkunen is visiting the US, where she will meet with representatives of Nvidia, a major supplier of AI chips. Virkunen and EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič opposed the planned restrictions, stressing that it was in the "economic and strategic interest of the US for the EU to buy advanced AI chips without restrictions".
The US decision could ease tensions caused by US criticism of European digital policies and restore trust between the two economic giants.
Poland, which was among the countries with potential restrictions, had been in lengthy talks with Washington, trying to understand the reasons for its inclusion in the so-called "second category" for access to AI technologies.
The threat of US restrictions has also prompted the EU to reconsider its plans for chip production under the "Chip Act", with a focus on artificial intelligence.