Nvidia is reportedly preparing to unveil a new AI chip specifically designed for the Chinese market, signalling its intent to stay active in the region despite stringent US export controls. According to a Financial Times report, this new chip could hit the market as early as September.

Based on Blackwell, but with Key Limitations

The chip in question is expected to be a modified version of Nvidia’s Blackwell RTX Pro 6000 processor. While it will leverage Blackwell’s capabilities, critical features such as high-bandwidth memory and NVLink—the company’s proprietary low-latency communication technology—will be excluded to comply with US trade restrictions. These omissions are intended to ensure the chip falls within the scope of what is legally permissible to sell in China.

A Change in Strategy, or a Temporary Pivot?

Interestingly, this development comes shortly after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang announced that the company would no longer factor China’s market into its revenue and profit projections. However, if this China-specific chip successfully launches, Nvidia’s stance on the Chinese market could quickly shift again.

Company Keeps Quiet on the Details

Nvidia has yet to officially comment on the reported plans. When approached, a company spokesperson reiterated the challenges facing Nvidia in China, stating, “With the current export controls, we are effectively out of the China datacenter market, which is now served only by competitors such as Huawei."

Balancing Security and Open Innovation

The spokesperson also highlighted the importance of ensuring that non-military AI applications in China—which are widely used in open-source development and foundation models—perform optimally on US-built technology. "China has one of the largest populations of developers in the world, creating open-source foundation models and non-military applications used globally. While security is paramount, every one of those applications should run best on the U.S. AI stack,” the spokesperson added.