Nvidia Innovates with Location Verification for AI Chips

Nvidia has developed a location verification technology for its AI chips to prevent smuggling into restricted countries. The software, leveraging GPU capabilities, aims to help data centers track chip performance and ensure exports comply with regulations. Nvidia plans to introduce this feature in their latest 'Blackwell' chips.

Nvidia has introduced a groundbreaking location verification technology, designed to identify the country where its artificial intelligence chips are operational. This innovative feature is poised to tackle the challenge of chip smuggling into nations where their export is banned, according to the company's announcement on Wednesday.

The technology will be a software feature that customers can install, tapping into the confidential computing capabilities of Nvidia's GPUs. The software is crafted to allow customers to monitor a chip's overall computing performance, using server communication delays to gauge the chip's location—similar to other internet-based services.

In its latest move, prompted by exclusive details reported by Reuters, Nvidia plans to make this software open-source, inviting external security experts to scrutinize it. Despite the inclusion of these new features, Nvidia assures there are no backdoors for remote control, and the telemetry data remains read-only, adhering to privacy and security standards.

(With inputs from agencies.)