Tech Diplomacy Now: Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Law + US Restrictions on AI Chips
In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court upheld a law forcing TikTok’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, to divest from the app
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Tech Diplomacy Updates
Top News of the Week
Latest News
Technology Strategy and Policy
Artificial Intelligence
Telecommunications Networks and Infrastructure
Critical Minerals
Synthetic Biology
Quantum
Advanced Aerospace Technology
Semiconductors and Microelectronics
Energy and Climate
Opinion and Commentary
The Last Word
BREAKING: In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court upheld a law forcing TikTok’s China-based parent company, ByteDance, to divest from the app
The judgment of the Supreme Court:
“There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community. But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary. For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights.
The judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is affirmed.
It is so ordered.”
More on Background:
Trump says TikTok decision is up to him, offers no details – Reuters, January 17, 2025
Moolenaar Commends Supreme Court Decision to Uphold TikTok Law – The Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, January 17, 2025
TikTok CEO to attend inauguration with front-row seat at Trump's invite – Fox News, January 16, 2025
Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act – H. R. 7521
Keith Krach Delivers Keynote Remarks at the CommonWealth Economic Forum
Chairman of the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue and the US-Taiwan Business Council, Keith Krach, spoke to the Taiwanese business leaders gathered at the 2025 CommonWealth Economic Forum (CWEF) in Taipei. During his keynote remarks, Krach described technology as the battlefield where the values of freedom and authoritarianism collide, emphasizing that “tomorrow’s technology must be trusted technology—because trust is the foundation of everything we hold dear.”
ICYMI: World’s-First Initiatives Unveiled at the Krach Institute’s Trusted Tech Summit
Hundreds of international leaders from 19 countries, representing government, technology, business, academia, and civil society, gathered at the recent Trusted Tech Summit in Washington, D.C.
The discussions at the event emphasized the importance of safeguarding freedom through trusted technology. The landmark Global Tech Security Commission Report and the Global Trusted Tech (xGTT) Standard initiative were unveiled to the public for the first time.
Download the Commission report and the xGTT Standard framework here.
See the full Trusted Tech Summit recap here.
Top News of the Week – The US Imposes Far-reaching Restrictions on Advanced AI Chips
With just days left, the Biden Administration issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) establishing rules to control the diffusion of artificial intelligence.
Key Points:
The US Government establishes a three-tier global system for controlling advanced AI chips with just 18 countries receiving unrestricted access.
The IFR requires that most advanced AI models are stored in the United States under stringent security conditions and that large clusters of the most advanced chips are built in locations with low risk of diversion or misuse.
For countries in the second tier would need to negotiate high security standards and would be required to work with U.S. cloud computing companies for the operation of the most advanced models with large clusters of the most advanced chips.
More on Background:
US imposes export controls on chips for AI to counter China – FT, January 14, 2025
Biden Administration Adopts Rules to Guide A.I.’s Global Spread – NYTs, January 13, 2025
Framework for Artificial Intelligence Diffusion. – Bureau of Industry and Security, January 13, 2025
Biden’s administration proposes new rules on exporting AI chips, provoking an industry pushback – Associated Press, January 13, 2025
Nvidia blasts Biden’s new AI restrictions as ‘misguided’ – GPU giant praises Trump’s hands-off approach to tech industry – Tom’s Hardware, January 13, 2025
Biden unveils last round of AI chip curbs aimed at China, Russia – CNN, January 13, 2025
Nvidia faces revenue threat from new U.S. AI chip export curbs, analysts say – Reuters, January 13, 2025
With Its Latest Rule, the U.S. Tries to Govern AI’s Global Spread – Carnegie Endowment, January 13, 2025
AUDIO – AI Diffusion Framework - Emergency Podcast – AI Policy Podcast, CSIS, January 13, 2025
AI Chip Curbs Trigger Rare Public Fight: Tech Giants vs. China Hawks – WSJ, January 9, 2025
Biden Administration Spurs New Battle with Rules Governing A.I.’s Global Spread – NYTs, January 9, 2025
DIVE DEEPER: Visit the Tech Diplomacy Academy to understand the fundamentals of AI and the ethical and policy concerns surrounding this technology.
Learn more.
Latest News
China's economy will never surpass U.S., Biden says in exit speech – Nikkei Asia, January 14, 2025
In an Upended Mideast, Trump Faces a New Divergence With Old Allies – NYTs, January 13, 2025
China’s Export Boom Means Trump Tariffs Would Hit Beijing Where It Hurts – WSJ, January 12, 2025
Russia’s Hidden War Debt – Navigating Russia, January 11, 2025
China Arming Houthi Rebels in Yemen in Exchange for Unimpeded Red Sea Passage – FDD, January 2, 2025
Technology Strategy and Policy
With a TikTok Ban Looming, Users Flee to Chinese App ‘Red Note’ – Wired, January 13, 2025
Zuckerberg urges Trump to stop the EU from fining US tech companies – Politico, January 11, 2025
Artificial Intelligence
OpenAI’s Economic Blueprint – OpenAI, January 13, 2025
Defense firm Overland AI raises $32 million – Axios, January 13, 2025
Biden’s sweeping new AI export controls cover most of the world – Washington Post, January 13, 2025
OpenAI Courts Trump with Vision for ‘A.I. in America’ – NYTs, January 13, 2025
Britain doesn’t need to walk a US or EU path on AI – Prime Minister Keir Starmer, FT, January 13, 2025
China’s DeepSeek Shows Why Trump’s Trade War Will Be Hard to Win – Bloomberg, January 9, 2025
Putin orders Russian government and top bank to develop AI cooperation with China – Reuters, January 1, 2025
The Obstacles to China’s AI Power: Why the Chinese Military Struggles to Take Advantage of New Technology – Foreign Affairs, December 31, 2024
Telecommunications Networks and Infrastructure
A Blueprint for Broadband Affordability – ITIF, January 13, 2025
Huawei’s ‘Iron Army’ – The Wire China, January 12, 2025
Foxconn stops sending Chinese workers to India iPhone factories – Rest of the World, January 10, 2025
How Chinese Is TP-Link? – The Wire China, January 9, 2025
Japan links Chinese hacker MirrorFace to dozens of cyberattacks targeting security and tech data – Associated Press, January 8, 2025
Critical Minerals
Singh calls for suspension of critical minerals exports to U.S. if Trump imposes tariffs – The Globe and Mail, January 13, 2025
UK to sign critical minerals partnership with Saudi Arabia – Reuters, January 13, 2025
China Flexes Lithium Dominance with Plans for Tech-Export Curbs – Bloomberg, January 3, 2025
Brazilian Miner Boosts Rare Earths Output in Challenge to China’s Grip – Bloomberg, January 2, 2025
Synthetic Biology
DNA nanorobots that can alter artificial cells offer a new tool for synthetic biology – Phys.org, January 13, 2025
Enhanced biosensing technology detects molecules at lower concentrations – News Medical Life Sciences, January 13, 2025
Empa Researchers Develop Eco-Friendly Battery Alternative Using Dual-Fungal System – 3D Printing, January 9, 2025
Integrating bioelectronics with cell-based synthetic biology – Nature, January 7, 2025
Quantum
Quantum Stocks Drop as Nvidia CEO Sees Use Years Away – Bloomberg, January 7, 2025
China is catching up with America in quantum technology – The Economist, December 31, 2024
From niche innovations to global powerhouse: An EU quantum strategy – ECFR, December 20, 2025
Advanced Aerospace Technology
Sudden death of top Chinese military drone scientist shocks industry – SCMP, January 8, 2025
China says U.S. suspicion of security risks in Chinese drones is 'irresponsible' – Reuters, January 7, 2025
Italy Plans $1.6 Billion SpaceX Telecom Security Services Deal – Bloomberg, January 5, 2025
China's failed airspace auction highlights local financial woes – Nikkei Asia, January 1, 2025
Semiconductors and Microelectronics
TSMC ends contract with Singapore-based company over alleged Huawei ties – Tom’s Hardware, January 12, 2025
TSMC begins producing 4-nanometer chips in Arizona, Raimondo says – Reuters, January 10, 2025
Micron to Spend $7 Billion Building Singapore Memory Chip Plant – Bloomberg, January 8, 2025
Intel’s Problems Are Even Worse Than You’ve Heard – WSJ, January 3, 2025
Beijing Pushes to Use China-Made Chips in Its EVs – WSJ, December 31, 2024
Energy and Climate
Energy Transformation Driven by Cleantech Supply Chains – Sustainability Magazine, January 14, 2025
Can the World Break Its Reliance on Chinese Clean Energy Tech? – OilPrice, January 10, 2025
4 key trends to watch in clean energy technology in 2025 – WEF, January 9, 2025
Five Energy Transition Lessons for 2025 – Bloomberg, January 9, 2025
Opinion and Commentary
Beijing’s Espionage Campaign Against the West – Mike Pompeo, WSJ, January 12, 2025
Prophecies of the Flood: What to make of the statements of the AI labs? – One Useful Thing, January 10, 2025
We Are in an Industrial War. China Is Starting to Win. – Robert Atkinson, WSJ, January 9, 2025
In an era of economic nationalism, Lutnick’s job may turn out to be more important than Bessent’s. – Stephen Myrow, WSJ, January 9, 2025
Trump Can Keep America’s AI Advantage – Dario Amodei and Matt Pottinger, WSJ, January 6, 2025
Can Technology Save a World Hurtling Toward Disorder? – Michael Hirsh, Foreign Policy, January 6, 2025
The Last Word
“The Supreme Court decision was expected, and everyone must respect it. My decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I must have time to review the situation. Stay tuned!”
President-Elect Donald J. Trump, Truth Social, January 17, 2025
About: Tech Diplomacy Now
The Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue is the world’s preeminent trusted technology accelerator. As the leader of the new category of Tech Diplomacy, the Institute integrates technology expertise, Silicon Valley strategies, and foreign policy tools to build the Global Trusted Tech Network of governments, companies, organizations and individuals to accelerate the innovation and adoption of trusted technology and ensure technology advances freedom.