China's access to Nvidia chips in doubt as curbs gain traction in US Congress

United States House Speaker Mike Johnson revealed on Thursday that there is a growing consensus in Congress to limit chip exports to China following a spy scandal that led to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang stepping down. The scandal involved a romantic relationship with a businesswoman who US authorities suspect of spying for the Chinese government.

This revelation has prompted lawmakers from both parties to call for stricter restrictions on China's access to advanced artificial intelligence chips, which are crucial to the US race to develop superior AI systems. Nvidia's advanced AI chips are widely used in creating cutting-edge AI models, making the company essential to the US-China competition for AI dominance.

The US has long sought to restrict China's access to Nvidia's chips due to concerns about the Chinese military benefiting from them. Speaker Johnson emphasized his support for limiting China's access to advanced technology, stating that there is a developing consensus in Congress that this position should be taken. The Chinese businesswoman, Alice Huang, was an executive at Megaspeed, an Nvidia partner that US officials suspect of aiding China in obtaining restricted AI chips.

Beijing has denied Huang's involvement in any espionage activities. This controversy has reignited debates among China critics in Washington about the adequacy of US export policies and the need for stronger restrictions. Chinese AI companies are reportedly attempting to rent Nvidia-powered computing capacity outside China, fearing that the allegations against Huang could lead to tighter restrictions on accessing the company's chips remotely.

Multiple Bills targeting chip exports are being pushed by Congressional Republicans, including the AI Overwatch Act, the Chip Security Act, the Match Act, and the Remote Access Security Act, all aimed at enhancing control over advanced AI chip exports to China. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is set to testify before Congress before Thanksgiving, following discussions with House Foreign Affairs Chairman Brian Mast about the date and location of his appearance.