Nvidia chief visits China for first time in years
In this article (5)
Jensen Huang, President and CEO of California-based artificial intelligence chip designer Nvidia, recently visited China for the first time in years, to attend the company’s new year party with local employees.
Last week, Huang traveled to Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen in Guangdong province in a low-key manner, according to a report by China Daily, which cited sources with knowledge of the matter.
Social media videos captured Huang dressed in a traditional outfit, dancing at Nvidia’s new year party in Shanghai.
Huang’s trip did not include meetings with government officials, as it was primarily focused on spending time with Nvidia’s employees in China, Yicai Global reported.
Major Chinese cloud companies are favoring domestic chips, like those from Huawei, over Nvidia’s less advanced AI chips. This development is linked to U.S. restrictions on exporting Nvidia’s most advanced AI chips to China.
In October, the U.S. revised export controls on advanced AI chips to China. As a result, Nvidia’s RTX 4090 chipset, a top-performing graphics card in the consumer market, is now banned from export to China.
“Huang’s trip may have been in response to US government restrictions on Nvidia’s exports of chips to China. Nvidia may need to seek cooperation with local Chinese players to ensure that its products have access to the Chinese market,” Zhang Xiaorong, director of the Beijing-based Cutting-Edge Technology Research Institute said.
Questions & Answers
Q.What was the primary purpose of Jensen Huang’s recent visit to China?
What was the primary purpose of Jensen Huang’s recent visit to China?
Jensen Huang's visit was mainly to spend time with Nvidia employees in China, attending the company's new year party. His trip did not include meetings with government officials, according to reports.
Q.How are major Chinese cloud companies responding to the availability of Nvidia's AI chips?
How are major Chinese cloud companies responding to the availability of Nvidia's AI chips?
Major Chinese cloud companies are now favouring domestic chips, such as those from Huawei, over Nvidia's less advanced AI chips. This shift is a consequence of U.S. Restrictions on exporting advanced AI chips to China.
Q.Which Nvidia product has been specifically banned from export to China?
Which Nvidia product has been specifically banned from export to China?
The Nvidia RTX 4090 chipset, a top-performing graphics card in the consumer market, has been specifically banned from export to China. This followed revised U.S. Export controls in October.
Q.What might have prompted Jensen Huang’s visit, according to one expert?
What might have prompted Jensen Huang’s visit, according to one expert?
Zhang Xiaorong suggested Huang's trip might have been a response to U.S. Government restrictions on chip exports. Nvidia may need to seek cooperation with local Chinese players to maintain market access.
Reader pulse
Is this a deliberate step by Nvidia?
18,099 votes so far