Nvidia boss Jensen Huang reportedly met with the founding father of DeepSeek on Thursday throughout a shock journey to Beijing – simply someday after a Home committee revealed a probe into whether or not the chip big violated strict export guidelines by promoting to China.
Huang’s assembly with DeepSeek boss Liang Wenfeng included talks associated to “new chip designs for Chinese customers,” the Monetary Occasions reported, citing two sources accustomed to his schedule. The Nvidia CEO additionally met individually with China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng and different prime commerce officers.
The go to was lined closely by Chinese language state media, which reported that Huang had careworn the significance of China’s marketplace for the corporate’s success.
“We hope to continue to cooperate with China,” Huang mentioned, based on Chinese language state broadcaster CCTV.
Huang’s journey to Beijing might additional stoke concern on Capitol Hill, the place lawmakers have already expressed fears that Nvidia’s superior chips have helped DeepSeek and different Chinese language corporations catch as much as the US within the AI race.
Nvidia representatives didn’t instantly return The Publish’s request for remark.
Nvidia shares had been down 1% in early buying and selling on Thursday.
The corporate’s inventory has plunged about 25% for the reason that begin of the 12 months alongside broader market turmoil associated to President Trump’s tariffs.
Many consultants, together with Trump administration AI czar David Sacks and Elon Musk, have questioned DeepSeek’s declare that it skilled its AI mannequin for lower than $6 million and with out entry to Nvidia’s most superior chips.
On Wednesday, the Home Choose Committee on China revealed it’s probing whether or not Nvidia’s chip gross sales to Asia violated US guidelines.
The panel additionally labeled DeepSeek a “profound threat” to US nationwide safety that “utilizes tens of thousands of [Nvidia] chips that are currently restricted from export to the PRC.”
Earlier this week, the Trump administration took the surprising step of limiting gross sales of Nvidia’s H20 pc chips to China.
The less-powerful chip was particularly created to skirt present US export controls on extra superior designs.
Nvidia mentioned it anticipated to take a $5.5 billion hit on account of the contemporary ban.
Scrutiny over Nvidia’s operations has accelerated towards the backdrop of Trump’s escalating commerce warfare with China.
The president has slapped whole tariffs of 145% on imports from China.
Beijing has retaliated with 125% tariff on US items.
