This paper describes the challenges facing 14C Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) in the effort to directly analyze the combusted effluent of a chromatograph (or any other continuous source of sample material). An efficient, low‐memory negative gas ion source would greatly simplify the task to make this a reality. We discuss our tests of a microwave ion source charge exchange canal combination, present an improved design, and hope to generate more interest in the negative ion source community to develop a direct‐extraction negative carbon gas ion source for AMS.