The FCC bans gadgets with 'surveillance chips' in — but Intel gets a waiver

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has introduced a ban on gadgets containing surveillance chips, targeting devices with foreign components as a potential threat to national security. Two unnamed devices, specifically those featuring HiVision chips from Huawei's subsidiary, have been added to the FCC's Covered List. These chips are often found in home security cameras and dashcams, equipped with built-in algorithms to detect human faces.

Meanwhile, Intel has received an exemption for factory robots used in its semiconductor plants, as they cannot be sourced domestically. The FCC has kept Intel's robots off the Covered List to avoid disruptions in domestic semiconductor manufacturing services, with the waiver valid for one year. After this period, Intel must either find robots without foreign components or apply for another exemption.