The White House has reportedly instructed federal agencies not to allow Nvidia to sell its newest downgraded artificial intelligence chip, the B30A, to China, according to The Information, which cited three individuals familiar with the decision.
This move further tightens Washington’s technology export restrictions on Beijing as competition intensifies in the field of advanced AI computing.
The report stated that Nvidia had already distributed samples of the B30A to multiple clients in China. The chip is capable of training large language models when deployed in extensive data clusters — a capability that Chinese technology firms heavily depend on.
Despite this, an Nvidia spokesperson told Reuters that the company has “zero share in China’s highly competitive market for datacenter compute, and do not include it in our guidance.”
The White House has not yet responded to Reuters’ request for comment regarding the reported restriction.
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Nvidia Faces Dual Pressures from U.S. and China
According to The Information, Nvidia engineers are now redesigning aspects of the B30A in an attempt to persuade the U.S. administration to reconsider the ban.
However, the California-based chipmaker is also encountering mounting challenges from Chinese regulatory authorities.
Beijing recently released new directives stipulating that all government-backed data center projects must exclusively use chips developed within China, Reuters reported on Wednesday.
The sources indicated that any facilities still under construction and less than 30% complete will be required to remove foreign-made chips or abandon existing procurement contracts involving them.
More advanced projects will undergo individual assessments to determine whether they can retain non-Chinese components.
This new policy effectively excludes Nvidia from participating in a key market segment within China, even as some of its AI chips — including those restricted under U.S. export laws — continue to circulate through unofficial channels.
The guidance underscores Beijing’s growing determination to bolster its domestic semiconductor industry amid escalating U.S. export curbs and geopolitical tensions.
While Nvidia continues to seek ways to maintain its presence in China, both U.S. and Chinese policies are narrowing its options.
The company’s efforts to redesign its products may buy time, but Washington’s ongoing scrutiny and Beijing’s shift toward self-sufficiency signal a difficult road ahead for the world’s leading AI chipmaker.
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