May 16, 2023
Controlling Access to Advanced Compute via the Cloud: Options for U.S. Policymakers, Part I
U.S. export controls, as they stand, do not control the provision of cloud computing services and do not stop Chinese companies from accessing controlled chips via Cloud Service Providers (CSPs). In fact, a recent media report alleges that at least one problematic actor in China has found a way around the October 7, 2022 U.S. semiconductor export controls by accessing controlled chips via a CSP. Though this reporting does not provide evidence that the CSP in question was based outside of China, it may become common for Chinese firms to use foreign or overseas cloud services if the performance gap between locally available and foreign AI chips grows significantly due to export restrictions.
We do not recommend controlling access to cloud computing services for entities in China, because, based on our analysis, it does not appear feasible and may have adverse consequences.
If U.S. policymakers are interested in restricting this access, there are two potential pathways forward using export controls. The first is described in this post, and the second—which will focus on controlling access to compute for specific problematic actors and end-uses in China—will be outlined in a following post. In this post, we will outline Goal 1, highlight examples displaying how such controls might work, and discuss the advantages, disadvantages, and limitations of implementing controls in this manner.
Read the full article from CSET.
More from CNAS
-
CNAS Insights
Technology & National Security
CNAS Insights | Sovereign AI’s Second Wave Is Coming Into ViewEarlier this year, CNAS launched the Sovereign AI Index to track every government-backed sovereign AI project since 2023. These projects seek to improve a country’s AI self-re...
By Pablo Chavez, Vivek Chilukuri & Ruby Scanlon
-
Video
Technology & National Security
Is AI All Hype or the Real Deal?Anthony Vinci, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, joins Eyes on Geopolitics to break down the rapidly evolving AI landscape, from China’s grow...
By Anthony Vinci
-
Video
Technology & National Security
Russia Technology Expert Says Ukraine's Drone War Erased the Front Line: Sam BendettSam Bendett, an adviser with CNA's Russia Studies Program, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, and a Senior Associate with the CSIS Europe, Rus...
By Samuel Bendett
-
Congressional Testimony
Technology & National Security
The Economic Cost of Russia’s War in UkraineSamuel Bendett, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, joins BBC Audio's World Business Report to discuss how the Russia-Ukraine War has transform...
By Samuel Bendett
