US Department of Justice scrutinizes NVIDIA $20B Groq licensing deal

Business Sep 10, 2026

NVIDIA's massive $20 billion licensing deal with AI chip startup Groq is getting a closer look from the US Department of Justice.

The agreement, announced in December, gave NVIDIA access to Groq's AI technology while letting Groq stay independent.

As part of the deal, Groq's CEO Jonathan Ross and COO Sunny Madra moved over to NVIDIA.

Lawmakers flag NVIDIA-Groq antitrust concerns

Lawmakers are worried this partnership could make it harder for other players to compete in the AI chip market.

The DOJ is investigating NVIDIA's activities and the NVIDIA-Groq arrangement.

Interestingly, Groq didn't file the deal for regulatory clearance; if violations are found, civil penalties could follow.

For now, both companies aren't commenting on the probe.