Chinese military unlikely to rely on US AI chips, says Nvidia CEO

Huang’s remarks come as the U.S. continues to tighten export restrictions on Nvidia’s high-performance chips, including the H100, A100, and recently banned H20, citing national security concerns over their potential use in China’s military AI development

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has downplayed fears that the Chinese military could use U.S.-made AI chips to enhance its defense capabilities, arguing that the unpredictability of access to such technology makes it an unreliable choice for China.

In an interview aired Sunday on CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS, Huang responded to ongoing concerns raised by Washington over the potential misuse of American technology exports. “We don’t have to worry about it,” he said. “They simply can’t rely on it. It could be, of course, limited at any time.”

His comments come amid continued U.S. efforts to restrict the export of high-performance chips to China. Since 2022, Nvidia’s most advanced semiconductors, including the H100 and A100 series, have been subject to export controls. Earlier this year, the U.S. also blocked sales of Nvidia’s H20 chip—its most powerful AI processor still permitted in China—citing national security concerns.

These restrictions have cost Nvidia and other American chipmakers billions of dollars in lost revenue. Huang and other industry leaders argue that such curbs could accelerate China’s development of its own AI technologies, diminishing the long-term influence of U.S. tech firms in the global AI race.

Huang navigates policy and growth

During a recent visit to Washington, Huang met with former President Donald Trump to discuss the company’s concerns and the broader implications of U.S. policy. While specifics of the meeting remain undisclosed, Trump commended Nvidia for its explosive growth, highlighting its achievement as the first U.S. company to cross the $4 trillion market capitalization milestone.

Despite calling for greater market access, Huang supports the Biden administration’s push to expand domestic semiconductor manufacturing. Nvidia, like many U.S. chipmakers, depends heavily on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), whose main production facilities are located in Taiwan — a region increasingly central to geopolitical tensions.

As the U.S. continues to tighten controls on tech exports to China, Nvidia and other firms find themselves at the intersection of innovation, global competition, and national security. Huang’s remarks underscore the delicate balance companies must strike between compliance with government mandates and maintaining their competitive edge in a rapidly evolving AI landscape.