AI Export Restrictions: What You Need to Know About Global AI Rules

When you build an AI tool in PHP and ship it overseas, you might be breaking the law—without even knowing it. AI export restrictions, government rules that control where certain AI technologies can be sent or sold. These rules aren’t just for military tech anymore—they now cover powerful language models, automated content systems, and even basic AI APIs like OpenAI when used in specific ways. If your PHP script connects to an LLM that generates text, images, or code, and you’re serving users in countries like China, Russia, or Iran, you could be crossing legal lines.

U.S. AI regulation, a patchwork of state and federal rules that define what AI can do, who can use it, and where it can go. Also known as generative AI laws, these rules are evolving fast. California requires transparency about AI-generated content. Colorado bans deepfakes in political ads. Illinois targets AI in insurance decisions. And the federal government now classifies advanced LLMs as dual-use technologies—meaning they can be used for both civilian and military purposes. This isn’t theoretical. Companies have been fined for letting foreign users access AI tools without proper licensing. Even open-source models can trigger restrictions if they’re fine-tuned with sensitive data or used in high-risk applications.

For PHP developers, this means your code isn’t just about performance—it’s about compliance. If you’re using LLM deployment, the process of running large language models in production environments, often via APIs or local servers in your app, you need to ask: Who’s using it? Where are they located? Are you logging user data in a way that violates privacy laws? Are you using model weights that were trained on restricted datasets? These aren’t just technical questions—they’re legal ones.

And it’s not just about blocking users. AI compliance, the ongoing practice of ensuring AI systems follow legal, ethical, and operational standards means you need to track how your AI is used, audit training data, and document your safeguards. Tools like Microsoft Purview and Databricks help enterprises do this—but if you’re building with PHP and Composer packages, you’re on your own. You need to build those checks into your code: IP filtering, user consent flows, content moderation hooks, and usage logs.

Most developers think AI laws are a problem for big tech. But the truth is, if you’re deploying an AI-powered feature—even a simple chatbot that answers customer questions—you’re part of the supply chain. And if your PHP script is used to generate legal documents, medical summaries, or financial advice, the stakes are even higher. A single violation could mean fines, lawsuits, or your app being pulled from app stores.

Below, you’ll find real guides from developers who’ve faced these challenges head-on. They’ve built systems that block restricted regions, detect unsafe outputs, and stay compliant without killing performance. You’ll see how to structure your PHP apps to handle export rules, what tools to use, and how to avoid the most common mistakes that cost companies millions.