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AI Leaders Urge U.S. to Boost Exports and Infrastructure to Stay Ahead of China

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Top executives from OpenAI, Microsoft, and AMD warned U.S. lawmakers on Thursday that the country risks losing its lead in artificial intelligence to China unless it expands infrastructure, loosens AI chip export restrictions, and strengthens workforce training. Their testimony before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, chaired by Senator Ted Cruz, emphasized the urgent need for pro-growth AI policies to counter China’s rapid advancements.

The call to action follows China’s DeepSeek AI breakthrough last year and Huawei’s rollout of advanced AI chips, both of which have shaken Washington’s confidence in maintaining AI dominance.

“The number-one factor that will define whether the U.S. or China wins this race is whose technology is most broadly adopted in the rest of the world,” said Brad Smith, President of Microsoft. He added that Microsoft has banned internal use of DeepSeek due to data privacy and propaganda concerns.
“The lesson from Huawei and 5G is that whoever gets there first will be difficult to supplant.”

Key Takeaways from the Senate Hearing:

  • OpenAI CEO Sam Altman emphasized the need for massive infrastructure investment, including data centers and power generation, to fuel AI’s growth.

  • AMD CEO Lisa Su highlighted the importance of maintaining competitiveness in AI chip design while also ensuring export flexibility.

  • Smith called for broader AI education, R&D funding, and skilled labor development, including more electricians for AI facilities.

The tech industry is pushing back against Biden-era AI export rules that aimed to limit China’s access to powerful AI chips. In response, the Trump administration is preparing to rescind those curbs and replace them with a new framework — a move praised by Cruz, Altman, and Su during the session.

“The Biden administration’s misguided midnight AI diffusion rule on chips and model weights would have crippled American tech companies’ ability to sell AI to the world,” Cruz said.

China’s DeepSeek, based in Hangzhou, made waves by launching a powerful, cost-effective AI model competitive with OpenAI and Meta — a move that intensified pressure on U.S. lawmakers to act quickly.

Meanwhile, Huawei is preparing to mass-ship advanced AI chips to Chinese customers despite ongoing U.S. trade restrictions.

With national security, economic leadership, and technological supremacy at stake, AI executives stressed that global market penetration—not just technical capability—will determine who wins the AI race.

Trump Administration to Scrap Biden-Era AI Chip Export Limits, Citing Innovation Concerns

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The Trump administration plans to rescind and revise a key Biden-era rule that restricted exports of advanced AI chips, aiming to replace it with a streamlined system that it says will better support U.S. innovation and AI leadership, the Commerce Department confirmed on Wednesday.

The Biden administration’s rule, part of a broader effort to curb China’s access to military-grade semiconductor technology, was set to go into effect May 15. Known as the Framework for Artificial Intelligence Diffusion, the rule divided global countries into three tiers based on their level of trust and posed export caps accordingly.

Why It’s Being Scrapped:

The Commerce Department spokeswoman called the rule:

“Overly complex, overly bureaucratic, and would stymie American innovation.”

She said the Trump administration is preparing a simpler replacement that removes the tier-based structure and introduces a global licensing regime governed through bilateral government agreements instead.

Tier System Under Biden Rule:

  • Tier 1: 17 allied countries + Taiwan (no restrictions)

  • Tier 2: ~120 countries (chip quantity caps)

  • Tier 3: China, Russia, Iran, North Korea (outright ban)

What Comes Next:

  • A new rule will rescind the tiered structure.

  • A government-to-government licensing regime is being discussed.

  • There’s no official timeline yet, as internal debate continues.

  • The Trump administration aims to focus on AI leadership and economic competitiveness, rather than control through blanket restrictions.

Market Reaction:

  • Nvidia (NVDA.O), a leading AI chipmaker whose sales have been constrained by export limits, rose 3% on the news, but slipped 0.7% after hours as markets absorbed the uncertainty surrounding implementation.

Strategic Context:

The Biden rule was part of a multi-year initiative to block Chinese access to cutting-edge chips used in AI and defense, while bolstering U.S. global dominance in emerging technologies. But the Trump team argues that these controls could inadvertently hurt American firms by stalling chip sales to non-hostile countries and overcomplicating enforcement.

A shift to bilateral licensing could give the U.S. more flexibility and diplomatic leverage, but critics warn it may also open loopholes and weaken safeguards designed to prevent authoritarian regimes from exploiting AI.

Nvidia Criticizes Biden Administration’s Reported AI Chip Export Restrictions

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Nvidia has expressed concern over a reported plan by the Joe Biden administration to impose new restrictions on AI chip exports, with the company urging the outgoing president not to enact a policy that could harm the U.S. economy and benefit adversaries. Nvidia’s Vice President, Ned Finkle, criticized the potential move, arguing that it could set the U.S. back and play into the hands of international competitors.

The Commerce Department and the White House have not responded to Reuters’ inquiries about the policy. According to exclusive reports, the Commerce Department is planning to approve global AI chip exports while preventing bad actors, particularly China, from accessing these advanced technologies. A Bloomberg News report suggests that new export regulations could be announced soon, with limits on the computing power that can be sent to certain countries, including China.

Finkle warned that the policy, though presented as an anti-China measure, would have broader global consequences, including limiting computing systems for other countries and driving the market toward alternative technologies. The Information Technology Industry Council, representing major tech companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta, also voiced concerns, claiming that the restrictions would impede U.S. companies’ ability to compete globally.

Nvidia’s criticism comes as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office on January 20. Trump previously imposed restrictions on U.S. technology sales to China during his first term, citing national security concerns. Nvidia’s stock saw a decline of more than 1% following the Bloomberg report.