US Senate Pushes for Halt on Nvidia’s Advanced AI Chip Exports to China

TLDR

• The US Senate has introduced a bipartisan bill to freeze Nvidia’s H200 and Blackwell chip exports to China for 30 months.
• Senators Pete Ricketts and Chris Coons lead the bill, emphasizing the need to maintain the US’s AI dominance.
• The proposed bill is a response to internal debates within the White House over chip export policies.
• Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang opposes the bill, arguing that US companies should freely export their best technology.
• Some experts warn that China could use access to advanced chips to build supercomputers that rival US cloud services.

The US Senate has introduced a bipartisan bill to prevent Nvidia from exporting its most advanced AI chips to China for 30 months. According to a report by Financial Times, the bill specifically targets the H200 and Blackwell chips, which are critical for large AI systems. This action is part of an effort to maintain the US’s position as a leader in the global AI competition.

Senators Advocate for Stringent Export Restrictions on Advanced Nvidia AI Chips

Senators Pete Ricketts and Chris Coons have spearheaded the bill, which would block Nvidia from selling H200 and Blackwell chips to China. Ricketts stressed that maintaining the US’s edge in AI requires denying China access to these powerful technologies. He said, “The US must lead in global compute power to secure its position in the AI race.”

Coons echoed Ricketts’ views, stating that the outcome of the AI competition will shape the future. He asked, “Will it be built on American principles of freedom, or on China’s authoritarian model?” Other lawmakers supporting the bill include Republicans like Tom Cotton and Democrats like Jeanne Shaheen. They see this legislation as essential to keeping China from advancing in AI.

The proposal is timely, as the White House has been considering whether to allow exports of these advanced chips. The debate within the administration has fueled concerns in Congress, with lawmakers fearing that the US might give China too much access to cutting-edge technology.

Industry Leaders Dispute Washington’s Approach to Chip Exports

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang met with former President Trump and Senate Republicans to discuss the issue. Huang argued that US companies should be free to sell their top-tier chips without restrictions. He commented, “China will not accept inferior chips, and we should be able to provide the best technology.”

However, some senators disagree with Huang’s position. Senator John Kennedy criticized Huang, dismissing him as an unreliable source for US policy. Kennedy remarked, “He has more money than anyone and wants even more,” suggesting that Huang’s view was driven by financial interests rather than national security concerns.

This clash comes as the US Treasury holds off on imposing further sanctions on China’s Ministry of State Security. Industry experts like Saif Khan have warned that unrestricted access to these chips could help China build powerful supercomputers, potentially enabling its firms to compete with US cloud providers.

The post US Senate Pushes for Halt on Nvidia’s Advanced AI Chip Exports to China appeared first on Blockonomi.