New Export Control Rule Regulates Global Diffusion Of Artificial Intelligence

The U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security ("BIS") issued a rule establishing a framework to prevent U.S. adversaries from accessing the most advanced artificial intelligence ("AI") systems while preserving access for certain allies.

On January 13, 2025, BIS issued an interim final rule (the "Rule") designed to control the global spread of advanced AI technologies. The Rule aims to reduce the likelihood of malicious actors from accessing advanced AI models by imposing destination, volume, and end-user controls on the most advanced semiconductors and associated model weights. The framework's three-prong strategy:

• Establishes global licensing requirements for advanced semiconductors and model weights of certain advanced "closed-weight" AI models;