US officials strive for simplified channels to prohibit the exportation of AI and safeguard technological secrets.

A bipartisan bill has been introduced by legislators in the United States to assist the Biden administration in imposing export controls on top artificial intelligence (AI) models developed in the country. The bill, announced on May 8 by House Republicans Michael McCaul and John Molenaar, as well as Democrats Raja Krishnamoorthi and Susan Wild, aims to bypass legal challenges and regulate future AI exports. It would grant the Commerce Department the authority to impede American citizens from collaborating with foreign agents on AI systems that could pose a risk to national security. The current legislation makes it challenging for the Commerce Department to regulate open-source AI models, but the proposed bill would ease these obstacles. This move comes after a Reuters report on May 8 revealed that the US is prepared to protect its domestic AI from China and Russia by implementing export controls on its most advanced proprietary AI models. China has been known to utilize open-source models from the US to develop its own AI. Additionally, Microsoft recently entered into an agreement with AI company G42, based in Dubai, to support local AI innovation with a $1.5 billion deal in the United Arab Emirates. This agreement will grant the UAE access to cutting-edge AI technologies developed by Microsoft in the US. The US remains concerned about high-level AI technology falling into the hands of the Chinese government. In efforts to sanction China and limit its influence in US-made AI tech, the US government has taken various measures, such as potential sanctions on Chinese AI firm Baidu in January over alleged military use of its technology by the People’s Liberation Army.