Feb 27 (Reuters) - Microsoft ( MSFT ) has urged

President Donald Trump's team to ease export restrictions

imposed on artificial intelligence chips in the closing days of

his previous administration, saying the measures should not

extend to a group of U.S. allies.

In a blog post published on Thursday, the tech giant said

these rules placed limitations on allies, including India,

Switzerland and Israel, and limited the ability of U.S. tech

companies to build and expand AI data centers in these

countries.

Tighter U.S. restrictions on the exports of advanced AI

chips, such as those made by leader Nvidia ( NVDA ), to Beijing

have hurt the ability of American chipmakers and Big Tech to

service one of the largest markets for semiconductors,

accelerating a global race for AI infrastructure dominance.

In the final days of the Joe Biden administration, the U.S.

government said it would further restrict AI chip and technology

exports, divvying up the world to keep advanced computing power

in the U.S. while finding more ways to block China's access.

Such restrictions could conversely lead to China gaining a

leg-up in the AI race, Microsoft ( MSFT ) said.

"Left unchanged, the Biden rule will give China a strategic

advantage in spreading over time its own AI technology, echoing

its rapid ascent in 5G telecommunications a decade ago," the

company said.

According to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported

on Microsoft's ( MSFT ) proposals earlier on Thursday, Trump

administration officials are weighing steps to strengthen the

restrictions while simplifying the export-control rules.