Bipartisan senators press Nvidia CEO over China trip

Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.) pressed Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on Friday about his upcoming trip to China, voicing concerns that the visit could legitimize companies working closely with the Chinese military or seeking to take advantage of gaps in U.S. export controls. 

The bipartisan senators urged Huang to refrain from meeting with companies doing business with the country's military or intelligence, in addition to those that face U.S. export restrictions or are suspected of trying to evade U.S. curbs. 

“There is a new bipartisan consensus that the hardware powering advanced AI, which includes NVIDIA graphics processing units (GPUs), is of immense strategic importance,” the pair wrote in Friday’s letter. 

“If exported freely to the PRC [People’s Republic of China], this hardware could accelerate the PRC's efforts to modernize its military,” they continued. 

Nvidia produces chips that have become central to powering the artificial intelligence (AI) boom. However, some of its most advanced chips are subject to U.S. export controls. 

Huang is expected to travel to Beijing next week to meet with top Chinese leaders while at the International Supply Chain Expo, according to the Financial Times. The trip comes as Nvidia reportedly plans to release a new chip for China designed to comply with the U.S. restrictions.

“We hope you agree that it would be deeply irresponsible for an American CEO to meet with companies that violate U.S. law and are actively developing military capabilities that could undermine U.S. national security,” Warren and Banks added. “We ask that you refrain from any such meetings during your upcoming trip.” 

The duo this spring urged further review of Nvidia's plans to open a research facility in Shanghai, citing national and economic security worries.

The Nvidia CEO was spotted by reporters at the White House on Thursday, the same day the company became the first to close with a market capitalization above $4 trillion.  

The chipmaker briefly crossed the milestone Wednesday morning, before dipping back down below $4 trillion. Nvidia, which first hit the $1 trillion mark just two years ago, has seen a remarkable rise in recent years fueled by the AI craze.