Anders Woodruff

Frontier AI Companies Probably Can't Leave the US by Anders Woodruff Published on February 26, 2026

Heading Frontier companies leaving would be huge news.

Subheading.

The president can block chip exports and transactions.

In any case, the asset freezes under the IEPA would likely be crippling.

Subheading.

Companies can't get their US assets out against the government's will.

Since chips in use are concentrated in data centers, government monitoring and securing would be particularly easy.

That's the end of the list.

Furthermore, all U.S.

Subheading.

Companies can't leave without their US-based assets.

These costs would likely be sufficient to prevent companies attempting a move.

Heading.

The US pressured international banks to disclose the holdings of US persons.

The US threatened allies to make them enforce chip export restrictions against China.

The US used secondary sanctions to force EU compliance with sanctions against Iran.