China is considering tougher export controls on AI models and chips, according to a Financial Times report. The move would fit a broader effort by Beijing to protect high-value technology as artificial intelligence becomes more important to economic competition and national strategy.
The report says Chinese authorities are consulting companies on possible ways to stop western countries from gaining access to some of China’s most advanced technologies. That discussion appears to include both hardware, such as chips, and software assets tied to AI development.
Another focus is said to be protecting promising Chinese start-ups. By tightening rules, Beijing could try to limit the transfer or acquisition of strategic technologies seen as important to the country’s future growth and competitiveness.
If adopted, stricter export measures could add another layer of tension to the global technology race. They would also highlight how governments are increasingly treating AI models, semiconductors and fast-growing tech companies as assets with geopolitical importance.
