TAIPEI, May 17 (Reuters) – Nvidia is assessing how to address the China market following U.S. government restrictions on sales of its Hopper H20 chip there. However, the company will not release another version from the Hopper series, CEO Jensen Huang stated on Saturday. According to a livestream by Taiwan’s Formosa TV News network, Huang mentioned that it’s not possible to modify Hopper anymore. Huang, who emphasizes the importance of China to Nvidia’s growth, visited China shortly after new U.S. restrictions were placed on China-bound shipments of H20 chips, the only AI chip Nvidia can legally sell in China. Earlier this month, Reuters reported that Nvidia plans to release a downgraded version of the H20 chip for China within the next two months to maintain sales in the country, where it has lost market share to domestic rivals like Huawei. The U.S. Framework for Artificial Intelligence Diffusion, issued in January, aimed to limit AI chip exports globally. Huang also criticized previous AI export regulations, suggesting they should focus on maximizing U.S. technology globally. Former President Trump has indicated he will cancel the AI diffusion rules introduced by the Biden administration. China contributed $17 billion in revenue for Nvidia in the fiscal year ending January 26, representing 13% of the company’s total sales.
— new from Reuters
