Trump plans to use AI chips as a new bargaining chip in trade negotiations.

Three knowledgeable sources said that the Trump administration is working to change a regulation from the Biden era that restricts various countries around the world from obtaining artificial intelligence chips. Potential changes include canceling the practice of dividing different countries globally into several tiers to help determine how much advanced semiconductor a country can obtain. Sources said that these plans are still under discussion and warned that they may change. However, if implemented, this could open the door to using U.S. chips as a stronger bargaining tool in trade negotiations. The previous regulation was issued in January this year, aiming to divide the usage rights of cutting-edge artificial intelligence chips and control the weight of certain models to keep the most advanced computing power in the United States and its allies. Currently, the rule divides the world into three tiers. Sources said that officials in the Trump administration are considering abandoning the tiered access system in the regulation in favor of a global licensing system through government-to-government agreements.