U.S. Lawmakers Push for Stricter Controls on GPU and AI Hardware Exports

Amid growing concerns over national security and technological misuse, the U.S. Congress is moving toward tighter export regulations on advanced computing hardware — particularly GPUs and AI-focused chips. Two legislators have taken the lead, introducing proposals that would allow the government to track, restrict, and potentially disable high-performance tech after it leaves U.S. borders.

GPS Tracking and Export Oversight

Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) has introduced a bill that would grant the Department of Commerce the authority to track the location and ownership of sensitive computing equipment already subject to export controls. His proposal would also require manufacturers to embed geolocation features into a wide range of devices.

The list of targeted hardware includes:

• AI processors
• High-performance servers
• Graphics accelerators
• Consumer and enterprise GPUs (such as Nvidia’s RTX 4090 and upcoming RTX 5090)
• Dual-use devices that may have military applications

If enacted, the bill would allow the Commerce Department to maintain a centralized registry of export recipients and device locations. Exporters would be obligated to report any suspicious activity — such as unauthorized changes in device location or tampering.

Remote Chip Disabling on the Table

Congressman Bill Foster (D-Ill.), a physicist and former chip designer, is preparing a complementary proposal. He argues that chip tracking and control technology already exists, noting that many Nvidia chips already feature these capabilities. Independent tech experts interviewed by Reuters support this claim.

Foster wants to go even further by giving federal agencies the ability to remotely disable chips if they are found to be exported improperly or used in violation of license agreements. He is expected to introduce his legislation in the coming weeks.

National Security Concerns Around AI

The urgency behind these proposals is driven by fears that American chips are being smuggled into China, where they could be used for military AI research or even in the development of biological weapons. Foster emphasized that this is not a distant threat:

“This isn’t some hypothetical future problem — it’s happening now,” he said.“We could soon find the Chinese military using vast networks of U.S.-made chips to build advanced AI or weapons systems. This is as critical as nuclear security.”

The Nvidia Factor

Nvidia’s role in the AI landscape makes it central to the debate. The company reported that 13% of its $17 billion revenue in the last fiscal year (ending January 26) came from sales to China. With demand for AI systems surging globally — from chatbots and image generators to more specialized AI applications — the stakes are high.

If passed, these legislative efforts could reshape the global tech supply chain and set a new standard for monitoring the use of high-end computing hardware long after it leaves U.S. soil.