U.S. Chipmaker Nvidia's Controversial AI Assistance to China

U.S. chipmaker Nvidia is under scrutiny for aiding China's DeepSeek in developing AI models used by the Chinese military. Concerns arise as Nvidia's technical support helped improve DeepSeek's efficiency despite U.S. restrictions on chip sales to China, potentially eroding U.S. competitive advantage in artificial intelligence.

U.S. chipmaker Nvidia is facing criticism for its role in aiding China's DeepSeek, a firm that later used its artificial intelligence models for military purposes. This development was highlighted by the chairman of a U.S. House committee, who expressed concerns about China's growing capabilities in AI despite American export controls.

In a letter to the U.S. Commerce Secretary, House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar cited Nvidia's significant technical assistance to DeepSeek, which enabled substantial efficiency gains in AI model training. The company's support made DeepSeek a formidable AI competitor, with lesser computing power than its U.S. counterparts.

While Nvidia maintained that its dealings with DeepSeek were legitimate commercial interactions, revelations of potential military applications have ignited a political debate. Despite Nvidia's assertions, U.S. officials continue to weigh in on the implications of American technology in China's advancement in AI.

(With inputs from agencies.)