Chinese Entities Obtain Nvidia’s Advanced AI Chips Despite US Ban
A Reuters investigation has revealed that Chinese entities with government ties have acquired Nvidia’s advanced AI chips through resellers, despite a US ban on such sales. A review of tender documents showed that 10 Chinese entities acquired the chips between November 2020 and February 2021, after the US expanded its export restrictions to include Nvidia’s AI chips.
The new restrictions also prohibit resellers and third parties from selling the chips to Chinese entities. However, it is unclear whether the chips were obtained before the sanctions were enforced.
The US government has expressed concerns that China could use AI for military applications and has also blocked the export of advanced chipmaking technology to the country. Despite these restrictions, Chinese internet giants such as Baidu, JD.com, and Alibaba have continued to develop their own in-house AI models.
Chinese AI developers are also expected to switch to locally-developed silicon, potentially benefiting China’s chipmakers. However, the quality of their AI chip capabilities remains uncertain, as Nvidia is currently considered the leading provider of advanced AI chips in the market.
