Beginning Monday, technology companies in the U.S. will face new restrictions on exporting some of their more state-of-the-art products to China and elsewhere, according to the Commerce Department.

These new export rules — for companies building artificial intelligence software for analyzing satellite imagery — are targeting emerging technology that could give the U.S. a significant military or intelligence advantage.

A special license would be required to sell software outside the U.S. that could scan aerial images automatically to identify objects of interest, such as vehicles or houses.

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The rules could affect a growing sector of the technology industry using algorithms to analyze satellite images of crops, trade patterns and other changes affecting the economy or environment.

The new export rules are coming after Congress passed a law in 2018 that updated national security-related export controls to protect “emerging and foundational” technology that could end up in the hands of foreign governments.

It’s an interim rule until the public has a chance to weigh in before March.

Commerce Department officials said it’s in the national-security interests of the U.S. to implement the controls immediately Monday.

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The department didn’t return Fox News’ request for comment via email Sunday night.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.