Introduction to Nvidia’s New AI Chip
Nvidia is working on a new AI chip for China that could be stronger than the H20 model it currently sells there. The chip will be based on the company’s latest Blackwell design. This development comes after US President Donald Trump suggested that more advanced Nvidia chips might eventually be sold in China. However, approval is uncertain, as US officials remain wary of giving Beijing too much access to American AI technology.
The New Chip: B30A
The new chip, referred to internally as the B30A, is expected to use a single-die design. This means all the core parts of the chip are built on one piece of silicon, instead of split in two dies like in Nvidia’s flagship B300. People familiar with the details said this would likely give the B30A about half the power of the B300, but still make it stronger than the H20. The B30A will feature high-bandwidth memory and NVLink, Nvidia’s technology for moving data quickly between processors.
US-China Trade Tensions
The question of how much access China should have to advanced AI chips has become one of the main points of tension between Washington and Beijing. China accounted for 13% of Nvidia’s revenue last year. Nvidia only resumed selling the H20 in July after US regulators abruptly halted sales in April. The H20 was designed in 2023 to meet export rules which restricted chip sales to China.
Nvidia’s Strategy for China
Nvidia, in a statement about its strategy for China, said: “We evaluate a variety of products for our roadmap, so that we can be prepared to compete to the extent that governments allow. Everything we offer is with the full approval of the applicable authorities and designed solely for beneficial commercial use.” US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CNBC that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has been pushing for approval. “Of course he would like to sell a new chip to China,” Lutnick said, adding that Huang often pitches the idea directly to the president.
Another Chip in the Works
Alongside the B30A, Nvidia is preparing another product specifically for the Chinese market, also built on the Blackwell architecture but focused on AI inference tasks. The RTX6000D chip will be cheaper than the H20 due to simpler design and lower specifications. The RTX6000D is designed to perform at just under thresholds set by US export strictures. It uses standard GDDR memory and runs at 1,398 gigabytes per second – slightly below the 1.4 terabyte-per-second cap set by new restrictions in April.
Conclusion
Nvidia’s new AI chip for China, the B30A, has the potential to be stronger than the H20 model currently sold in the country. The development of this chip highlights the ongoing tensions between the US and China over access to advanced AI technology. As the situation continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how Nvidia’s strategy for China unfolds and how the company balances its business interests with the concerns of the US government.
FAQs
Q: What is the new AI chip that Nvidia is working on for China?
A: The new AI chip is referred to internally as the B30A and is based on Nvidia’s latest Blackwell design.
Q: How does the B30A compare to the H20 model currently sold in China?
A: The B30A is expected to be stronger than the H20 model, but with about half the power of Nvidia’s flagship B300.
Q: What are the US government’s concerns about selling advanced AI chips to China?
A: The US government is wary of giving Beijing too much access to American AI technology, citing concerns about national security and the potential for China to use the technology for military or other malicious purposes.
Q: What is the RTX6000D chip and how does it differ from the B30A?
A: The RTX6000D is another chip that Nvidia is preparing for the Chinese market, focused on AI inference tasks. It is designed to be cheaper than the H20 and has simpler design and lower specifications than the B30A.
