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Poland Hopes for AI Chip Export Restrictions to Be Lifted Under Trump

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Poland is optimistic that the Trump administration will reverse the AI chip export restrictions imposed during the final days of President Joe Biden’s tenure. Dariusz Standerski, Poland’s deputy digital minister, expressed hopes on Wednesday that these restrictions, which limit Poland’s access to U.S.-designed AI chips, may be lifted under the new leadership.

The law, which was implemented by the Biden administration, categorized countries into three tiers. While 18 nations, including Japan, Britain, and France, were largely exempt from the restrictions, Poland and 120 other countries faced strict caps. Countries like Russia, China, and Iran were entirely barred from receiving the technology. Standerski criticized the decision, calling it “irresponsible” and stating that the Biden administration failed to provide a clear explanation for Poland’s placement in the second tier.

However, Standerski noted that Poland’s dialogue with the Trump administration had been “very constructive,” and he believes there is a “big chance” that Poland could be moved to the first tier, which would provide it with unrestricted access to the technology. Ongoing consultations are expected to last until May 15.

In addition, Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski discussed the potential rollback of these restrictions with U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the AI Action Summit in Paris last month. Tech groups, including Microsoft, have also urged the Trump administration to ease these restrictions, advocating that such measures should not be extended to U.S. allies.

Furthermore, the European Commission has voiced support for the idea, stating that the EU should be able to access advanced AI chips from the U.S. without limitations.

Microsoft Announces Skype Shutdown in May as Microsoft Teams Takes Over

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Microsoft to End Skype Services in May as Teams Becomes the Primary Communication Platform

Microsoft has officially announced the shutdown of Skype, its long-standing video-conferencing platform, set to take place on May 5, 2025. Launched in 2003, Skype was once a leader in Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)-based video calls, voice calling, and conferencing. It was acquired by Microsoft in 2011, and for many years, it remained a key communication tool. However, despite still having 36 million users as of 2023, its market share has been steadily declining in recent years, as Microsoft’s Teams platform has taken over with more robust features and wider functionality.

The decision to shut down Skype comes as Microsoft aims to consolidate its communication tools under one roof, making Teams the central platform for both personal and business communication. Microsoft plans to streamline its consumer communication offerings, with Teams now serving as a more versatile hub for not just calls and messaging, but also file sharing, meeting hosting, calendar management, and even community building—all features that Skype lacked. Teams has seen significant growth over the past few years, largely fueled by the global shift to remote work and education during the Covid-19 pandemic.

For Skype users with subscriptions or credits, Microsoft has outlined the transition process. Current users will be able to continue using their Skype Credits and active subscriptions until their next renewal date. However, starting May 5, 2025, Skype’s paid features, including Skype Credit, will no longer be available. Skype Credits will remain usable until they are exhausted, and after that, Skype’s paid services will be fully phased out.

Moving forward, Microsoft has confirmed that Skype Dial Pad will still be available to former paid users through the Skype web portal and within Microsoft Teams. This shift signifies a clear move to integrate all communication features into Teams, which now provides a unified platform for both personal and professional use. With the growth of Teams and its broad range of features, Microsoft is positioning it as the future of online communication and collaboration.

US Investors Shift Focus from Chipmakers to Software Amid AI Investment Evolution

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As the AI investment boom slows, U.S. chip stocks, which were the biggest beneficiaries of last year’s surge, are struggling in 2025. The spotlight has shifted to software companies, which are now seen as the next big play in AI. This shift comes as volatility driven by tariffs and concerns about diminishing demand, coupled with the rise of lower-cost AI models from China’s DeepSeek, have weighed on semiconductor shares.

The shift towards software is being viewed by several analysts as a long-term evolution of the AI investment landscape. According to David Russell, global head of market strategy at TradeStation, there’s been a noticeable “rotation” in investor focus, especially in light of the developments surrounding DeepSeek, the semiconductor outperformance of 2024, and the ongoing restrictions on U.S. chip exports to China. “Investors are looking for the next three-to-five-year stories… those companies that will benefit from what Nvidia has already done,” he added.

So far in 2025, the Philadelphia SE Semiconductor index has fallen 5.6%, with Nvidia, a major player in the industry, down nearly 13%. In contrast, several software companies have seen significant gains, with stocks like Atlassian, CrowdStrike Holdings, Palantir Technologies, and Cognizant rising between 7% and 19%. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tracking software companies have also seen substantial inflows. For example, the iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF has attracted over $1.87 billion in 2025, already surpassing last year’s total inflows.

Analysts argue that this shift is a natural progression for AI investments, as the primary use cases for AI technology are in software. Adam Turnquist, chief technical strategist at LPL Financial, emphasized that LPL prefers software stocks over semiconductors, a sentiment shared by Morgan Stanley. “The second stage of the innovation cycle is when people start utilizing products, and that’s when the software companies start getting paid… we’re now starting to see the ascendancy of the software part of the equation,” said Keith Weiss, equity analyst at Morgan Stanley.

This trend is driven by concerns about how long chip stocks can sustain their growth rates, with some investors rethinking the value of these stocks as software companies continue to improve their market position. The rise of DeepSeek’s more affordable chatbot, which competes with expensive direct-to-consumer AI products, is one factor contributing to a more cautious outlook on semiconductors. According to Brian Mulberry, portfolio manager at Zacks Investment Management, competition will likely reduce profits for these products, while enterprise software companies may find it easier to monetize new AI technology.

The shift toward software stocks is also influenced by the ongoing Sino-U.S. trade tensions, which have hurt semiconductor companies. Analysts have named companies such as Palantir, Microsoft, Oracle, and Salesforce as key players in the software space, though their performance has been mixed in 2025. Palantir, which offers AI software to businesses, has seen its stock rally, while Microsoft and Salesforce have struggled, down 4.9% and 12.6%, respectively.

Despite these fluctuations, some investors remain optimistic about the long-term prospects for software companies. While valuations for software giants like Microsoft and Oracle are still considered high—trading at 27 and 23 times forward earnings, respectively—investors like Lisa Shalett, chief investment officer at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, argue that the focus should be on AI applications, not just chips. “We don’t need more Nvidia chips, we need applications,” she said.