This ban stands out because it targets widely used, mass-produced processors instead of advanced AI chips. By disrupting supply and pushing Chinese tech companies to innovate domestically, it raises the stakes in the US–China tech conflict and will likely speed up China’s self-sufficiency. Meanwhile, China’s expanding AI presence abroad, such as Huawei in Latin America, will heighten global tech competition and spark concerns over future supply chains and alliances. https://go.epfl.ch/chipschinaban