Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is in discussions with the Trump administration regarding the potential sale of a modified version of the company’s advanced Blackwell AI chip to China. In recent statements, Huang has expressed a willingness to provide the U.S. government with a 15% share of the revenue from these sales to secure approval for exporting the technology.
In an interview with Fox Business, Huang conveyed his optimism about the ongoing negotiations, stating, “The conversation will take a while, but President Trump understands that having the world build AI on the American tech stack helps America win the AI race.” This sentiment aligns with Huang’s broader vision for American technology to become the global standard, akin to the role of the U.S. dollar in international finance.
The discussions concern a less powerful iteration of the Blackwell chip, which is Nvidia’s latest and most capable AI processor. This move is seen as an effort by Nvidia to navigate the existing U.S. export restrictions aimed at limiting China’s access to high-end computing technology that could have military applications. Huang has indicated that “whatever it takes to get it approved for us to be able to sell in China is fine with us.”
These talks follow a previous arrangement where Nvidia agreed to a similar 15% revenue-sharing deal with the Trump administration for the export of its H20 AI chips to China. However, the company has reportedly not yet received significant orders for the H20 chips from Chinese buyers.
Huang estimates the Chinese AI market to be a substantial opportunity for Nvidia, potentially worth $50 billion. He has advocated for American tech companies to have the ability to compete in this market, arguing that it is crucial for maintaining U.S. leadership in the global AI race.
The proposal has generated discussion around national security, with some U.S. officials expressing concerns that even limited access to advanced chip technology could benefit Beijing’s military and artificial intelligence development. The Trump administration has not yet issued a formal statement on the status of the negotiations regarding the Blackwell chip.
