US Officials Rein In AI Chip Sales to Middle East by Nvidia, AMD.

US officials have slowed down the issuance of licenses to chipmakers like Nvidia and AMD for large-scale AI accelerator shipments to the Middle East. This is due to a national security review of AI development in the region. The review aims to develop a comprehensive strategy for the deployment of advanced chips overseas, including the management and security of facilities used for AI model training. Concerns include the potential access of Chinese companies to American technology through data centers in the Middle East. The UAE and Saudi Arabia, both aiming to reduce their dependence on oil, have been working with the US to keep Chinese supply chains separate. The Commerce Department added the Middle East to chip export restrictions in October, requiring a special license for shipments to countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE. [Extracted from the article]