The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that the US government is preparing to restrict Chinese companies’ access to US cloud computing services, such as Amazon and Microsoft. If the new rule is adopted, US companies will be required to obtain government permission before offering cloud computing services using advanced artificial intelligence chips to Chinese customers. According to the Wall Street Journal, on June 27, the US Commerce Department could also further prohibit the sales of AI chips to China, unless US companies apply for a special license. In response, the Chinese government announced on Monday that it would impose export controls on two rare metals necessary for semiconductor manufacturing, citing security concerns. [The Wall Street Journal]