The artificial intelligence industry is in uncertainty following Trump's potential restrictions on GPU supply.

Artificial intelligence companies are in a state of uncertainty regarding the potentially devastating effects of tariffs implemented by Trump. This ambiguity is creating confusion in both the technology sector and the financial markets, which are experiencing notable chaos. For example, Nvidia has seen a drop of 7.59% and TSMC 7.22%. While some in San Francisco believe the situation is not severe, there is growing concern in Washington.

The central issue revolves around whether graphics processing units (GPUs), essential for artificial intelligence computing and other sectors, will be exempt from tariffs. The answer to this question is surprisingly confusing. In AI labs, the industry expects to receive an exemption, with some sources suggesting that Trump may favor certain companies, as he did with Apple during his first term. However, in Washington, the situation is more nebulous. Although the Trump administration mentioned an exemption for semiconductor chips within GPUs, complete electronic products containing these chips would apparently be subject to tariffs.

Experts on the subject, such as Chris Miller from Tufts University, have noted that most AI GPUs are imported as servers, primarily from Taiwan, which would expose them to a general tariff of 32% that would take effect on April 9. Typically, one would expect government agencies to clarify these issues, but when consulting NIST, the agency responsible for overseeing the CHIPS Act, the response was that inquiries should be directed to the White House, which did not provide immediate comments.

While on the West Coast there is an optimistic perception regarding exemptions, lobbyists in Washington are more familiar with the chaotic nature of Trump's second administration. The confusion surrounding the tariffs is affecting major tech companies that rely on GPUs, such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, which have reported significant losses in their market capitalization since the announcement of the tariffs.

There are reasons for the AI industry to feel that it might receive preferential treatment from Trump, especially after Sam Altman of OpenAI and other tech leaders met with him to discuss an ambitious infrastructure project for data centers. However, the uncertain situation for GPUs, along with the unpredictable nature of the president's tariffs, may breed distrust.

Nvidia, for its part, has begun relocating some of its production to the U.S. in hopes of mitigating the impact of the tariffs. Its CEO, Jensen Huang, mentioned that the company could adjust its manufacturing to reduce short-term effects.

The increase in costs for electronics production is likely if the tariffs remain. Additionally, external factors such as new export restrictions on rare minerals by China could exacerbate the situation, given that the U.S. imports 90% of these resources.

Loyalty to Trump appears essential, as trade agreements with companies like Amazon and Google may be affected by external factors, including an unfavorable report in associated media. Meanwhile, tech leaders seem to be mobilizing, traveling to Trump's private residence in an attempt to find clarity on the tariffs and secure possible exemptions.