US Lawmakers Propose Geolocation Tracking for High-Performance GPUs

US authorities may soon require manufacturers to integrate geolocation systems into powerful GPUs, according to a report by Tom’s Hardware citing a new bill proposed by Republican Senator Tom Cotton.

The goal of the bill, according to its author, is to prevent advanced American chips from falling into the hands of “third countries,” primarily China.

If passed, the legislation would mandate companies like NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel to embed tracking mechanisms in their products — including server and AI-focused GPUs, HPC solutions, and strategically significant electronics. Special attention would be given to products falling under export restrictions with classification 3A090 — for instance, GeForce RTX 4090 and RTX 5090.

In theory, this measure could enable the US to remotely disable devices that end up in sanctioned regions. However, experts have raised concerns that the initiative could impact not only Chinese data centers but also everyday users or businesses worldwide.

Implementing such tracking technology would require substantial time and investment. Moreover, manufacturers might resist the initiative, as it would complicate logistics, increase costs, and potentially frustrate customers.