Technology is a critical component of China's ambition to be the dominant superpower.
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The Big Story
Biden administration further curbs chip sales to China
The Commerce Department announced new restrictions on the sale of artificial intelligence (AI) chips to China as part of an effort to close loopholes in earlier export controls.
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a statement that the updated rules are meant to increase the effectiveness of the export controls and “further shut off pathways to evade our restrictions.”
The new restrictions require companies that are based in — or that have a parent company based in — nearly two dozen countries under U.S. arms embargoes to obtain a license to export controlled chips, as well as their components.
The licensing requirement previously applied only to China and Macau. Its expansion aims to prevent companies from obtaining the technology through foreign subsidiaries and branches, according to the Commerce Department.
The export controls come in response to Biden administration concerns that advanced AI technology will be used to expand China’s military capabilities.
“Certainly, on my watch, we are not going to sell the most sophisticated American chip to China that they want for their military capacity,” Raimondo said, following a trip to Beijing and Shanghai earlier this year.
Silicon Valley venture capitalist Marc Andreessen warned Monday that “deceleration” of artificial intelligence (AI) development could “cost lives.” “We believe any deceleration of AI will cost lives,” Andreessen said on a web page titled “The Techno-Optimist Manifesto” on the Andreessen Horowitz website. “Deaths that were preventable by the AI that was prevented from existing is a form of murder.” Andreessen also railed …
Well-known travel and shopping platforms such as Amazon and Tripadvisor are joining forces to fight fake reviews. Glassdoor, Trustpilot, Expedia Group and Booking.com are also among the companies that said they’re starting a coalition Tuesday with the goal of protecting access to “trustworthy consumer reviews.” The Coalition for Trusted Reviews will share methods on detecting fake reviews, among other work. A surge in …
Sen. Michael Bennet requested information from several tech giants Tuesday about their efforts to respond to the spread of misinformation about the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The Colorado Democrat sent a letter to the heads of Facebook-parent Meta, Google-parent Alphabet, TikTok and X — the platform formerly known as Twitter — expressing concerns about “false and misleading content” related …
News we’ve flagged from the intersection of tech and other topics:
Researchers say false claims about war hard to track
Researchers said it is becoming more difficult to rack misinformation about the war in Israel and Gaza that is spreading online, NBC News reported.
New York City reveals AI plan
New York City Mayor Eric Adams revealed an “Artificial Intelligence Action Plan,” which includes plans to evaluate AI tools and their risks, as well as boost AI skills among city employees, CNN reported.
On Our Radar
Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:
The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing titled “Safeguarding Data and Innovation: Building the Foundation for the Use of Artificial Intelligence” on Wednesday at 10 a.m.
The House Science, Space and Technology Committee will hold a hearing titled “Balancing Knowledge and Governance: Foundations for Effective Risk Management of Artificial Intelligence” on Wednesday at 10 a.m.
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Can New York’s mayor speak Mandarin? No, but with AI he’s making robocalls in different languages
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been using artificial intelligence to make robocalls that contort his own voice into several languages he doesn’t actually speak, posing new ethical questions about the government’s use of the rapidly evolving technology. The mayor …
President Biden is expected to arrive Wednesday in Israel with the task of showing the United States’s unwavering support for the Jewish state in its … Read more
Hundreds of people were killed after an airstrike fell on a hospital Tuesday in Gaza City, Palestinian officials said, with Gaza and Israel trading … Read more
