Latvia joins Baltic concerns over US decision to restrict AI chip exports

RIGA - Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania have expressed concerns over the United States' decision to restrict the export of artificial intelligence (AI) microchips, according to a joint statement of the Baltic states, which is available on the Latvian Foreign Ministry's website.

The statement says that the risks creating artificial divisions in the EU Single Market and undermine the development of our national AI ecosystems.

Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania also note that the Baltic states are ready to work with the European Commission and the U.S. administration to address their concerns.

As reported, top Lithuanian and Estonian officials have expressed exasperation over the U.S. decision to toughen AI chip export rules, allowing to only export AI chips to 18 closes U.S. allies, which do not include the Baltic states.

On Monday, January 13, the U.S. announced restrictions on AI chip export to many countries, except for Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, the UK and South Korea.

Meanwhile, AI chip exports to a group of 120 countries will be restricted with quotas. Along with the Baltic states, this group includes Singapore, Israel, Mexico, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and other countries.

AI chip export to countries subject to U.S. arms embargoes, such as Russia, China and Iran, is banned.

Lithuanian experts assume that the the Baltic countries have been included in the second group because of sanction circumvention risks, as the Baltic states have been mentioned in the context of reexports to Russia and Central Asia. The small Baltic market has been named as another possible reason.