Oxford, England — Arm Holdings CEO Rene Haas has voiced concerns that U.S. restrictions on exporting AI chips to China could negatively impact the global market. Speaking at the Founders Forum Global conference, Haas echoed sentiments previously expressed by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
Haas argued that limiting access to technology could stimulate the growth of alternative ecosystems, ultimately shrinking the market and harming consumers. Arm, a UK-based chipmaker, is reportedly planning to launch its own AI chip later this year, with Meta rumored to be among its first clients.
Nvidia has faced restrictions on both imports and exports due to U.S. government policies. These policies, implemented under both the biden and Trump administrations, limit the sale of AI chips to China, impacting Nvidia’s potential earnings.
Huang has been vocal about the potential harm export bans could inflict on the AI race, suggesting it could incentivize china to accelerate its own AI development.
In 2022, the Biden administration initiated export controls on AI chips, citing national security concerns. These rules initially targeted Nvidia’s A100 and H100 chips, later expanding to include the A800 and H800 models.
Subsequent restrictions divided countries into groups, with allies largely exempt and China and Russia prohibited from receiving AI chips from U.S. companies. Other countries, like India and Singapore, faced caps on allowable shipments.
More recently, the Trump administration rescinded these guidelines and is reportedly considering negotiating individual deals with countries, though restrictions on China remain.
U.S. officials have also expressed concerns about huawei’s development of its ascend AI chips, warning that their use could violate U.S. trade policy.
Both haas and huang acknowledge huawei’s growing presence in the AI chip market. Haas described Huawei as “quite formidable,” while Huang noted that while the U.S. currently holds a lead, it may not last. Huang told CNBC that Huawei has China covered if the U.S. doesn’t participate.
