U.S. Senators Caution Nvidia CEO on China Visit Due to AI Hardware Worries

Published Date : 13/07/2025 

A bipartisan pair of U.S. senators has warned Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang about his upcoming trip to China, expressing concerns over the potential for advanced AI hardware to aid the modernization of the Chinese military. 

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang visits Lawrence Berkeley National Lab to announce a U.S. supercomputer to be powered by Nvidia's forthcoming Vera Rubin chips, in Berkeley, California, on May 29, 2025. Manuel Orbegozo | Reuters

A bipartisan pair of U.S. senators sent a letter to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on Friday regarding an upcoming trip to China, warning the CEO to refrain from meeting with companies suspected of undermining U.S. chip export controls. The letter from Republican Senator Jim Banks of Indiana and Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts asked Huang to also abstain from meeting with representatives of companies that are working with the People's Republic of China's military or intelligence bodies. The senators also asked Huang to refrain from meeting with entities named on the U.S. restricted export list.

“We are worried that your trip to the PRC could legitimize companies that cooperate closely with the Chinese military or involve discussing exploitable gaps in U.S. export controls,” the senators wrote. Huang planned to visit China on Friday.

An Nvidia spokesperson said, “American wins” when its technology sets “the global standard,” and that China has one of the largest bodies of software developers in the world. AI software “should run best on the U.S. technology stack, encouraging nations worldwide to choose America,” the spokesperson said.

In May, at the Computex trade show in Taipei, Huang praised President Donald Trump's decision to scrap some artificial intelligence chip export controls and described the prior diffusion rules as a failure. U.S. restrictions in April on AI chips Nvidia modified to comply with export controls to China would reduce Nvidia's revenue by $15 billion, the CEO said.

The hardware necessary to power advanced AI is now subject to a bipartisan consensus related to the free export of such hardware, the senators wrote. Advanced AI hardware could “accelerate the PRC's effort to modernize its military,” the letter reads. U.S. lawmakers have grown increasingly concerned about efforts to circumvent export controls to China and proposed a law that would force AI chip companies to verify the location of their products.

Last month, Reuters reported that a senior U.S. official said the AI firm DeepSeek is aiding China's military and intelligence operations, and sought to use shell companies to circumvent U.S. AI chip export controls to China. Nvidia is planning to launch a cheaper version of its flagship Blackwell AI chips for China, Reuters reported in May.

The senators stated in the letter that they had previously expressed concern that Nvidia's actions could support the AI and chip industries in China, citing Nvidia's new research facility in Shanghai as an example. This facility has raised eyebrows among U.S. lawmakers who are wary of any potential technological advancements that could benefit China's military and intelligence capabilities. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: Why did U.S. senators write to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang?

A: U.S. senators wrote to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to warn him about his upcoming trip to China, expressing concerns over the potential for advanced AI hardware to aid the modernization of the Chinese military.

Q: What are the main concerns expressed by the senators in the letter?

A: The senators are concerned that Huang's trip to China could legitimize companies that cooperate with the Chinese military or involve discussions about exploitable gaps in U.S. export controls.

Q: What did Nvidia's spokesperson say in response to the senators' letter?

A: Nvidia's spokesperson said that American technology sets the global standard and that China has one of the largest bodies of software developers in the world. They emphasized that AI software should run best on the U.S. technology stack.

Q: How did the U.S. restrictions on AI chips affect Nvidia's revenue?

A: U.S. restrictions on AI chips modified to comply with export controls to China would reduce Nvidia's revenue by $15 billion, according to the CEO.

Q: What is the U.S. lawmakers' stance on the export of advanced AI hardware to China?

A: U.S. lawmakers have grown increasingly concerned about efforts to circumvent export controls to China and have proposed a law that would force AI chip companies to verify the location of their products. 

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