Chinese AI companies are in a hurry to lock down access to NVIDIA chips at overseas data centers, worried that a proposed US bill could restrict their remote access.
This rush follows a controversy involving NVIDIA's CEO and growing political tensions, making these high-powered chips even harder to get.
US remote access workaround under threat
Right now, the US restricts direct exports of advanced NVIDIA AI chips to China, but still allows remote use through international data centers.
With talk of stricter legislation like the Remote Access Security Act, Chinese firms fear losing even this workaround.
The gray market for these restricted chips is booming, with Chinese universities and tech companies exploring overseas capacity and grey-market demand.