The Biden administration has reportedly discussed capping the sales of advanced AI chips to certain countries.

Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reported that sales of advanced AI semiconductors produced by Nvidia and other American companies could be restricted in the interest of national security.

The news outlet said Persian Gulf countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia were likely to be impacted should the legislation be enacted.

The Biden administration has already banned exports of Nvidia and AMD's latest GPUs to some countries in the Middle East amidst accusations that the UAE had become a potential “transshipment point” used by Russia to evade sanctions and the country’s deepening ties with China. According to a report from the American Enterprise Institute, in the first half of 2023, shipments of chips from China accounted for 88 percent of the chips acquired by Russia.

Countries in Africa and Asia were also impacted by those restrictions, which came into force in August 2023.

In response to a request for comment from Bloomberg, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council declined to comment on the reported discussions, instead highlighting a recent joint statement the US and UAE released, touting the “tremendous potential of AI for good” whilst also acknowledging the “challenges and risks of this emerging technology and the vital importance of safeguards.”