Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said China is close behind the U.S. in AI, calling Huawei a formidable competitor. He warned U.S. chip export restrictions could hurt American tech leadership and urged policies to boost AI innovation. Nvidia plans major U.S. AI investments despite recent stock declines.
As reported by CNBC, At a tech conference in Washington, D.C., Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang remarked that China is keeping pace in artificial intelligence, describing Huawei as “one of the most formidable technology companies in the world.” While acknowledging that China may currently trail the U.S. by a small margin, Huang emphasized that the gap is narrow.
“The race is tight, and this is a long-term, infinite competition,” he told reporters.
Nvidia, whose chips power many cutting-edge AI applications, has become a linchpin in the global economy. However, the company faces increasing challenges in the U.S., including tariffs and pending Biden-era regulations that could limit exports of its most advanced AI chips to numerous countries.
šŗšøšØš³ Bloomberg tried to bait Nvidiaās Jensen Huang into bashing Huawei.
— šš°š³š³šŖšÆš¦ (@OopsGuess) April 30, 2025
He slapped them with facts instead.
āChina is not behindā¦ weāre very, very close.ā
Western propaganda keeps saying Huawei is years behind.
Reality just bit backāwith a billion-dollar voice. pic.twitter.com/ewLbAsXWWu
Recent restrictions by the Trump administration have also blocked Nvidiaās H20 chipsādeveloped to comply with earlier export controlsāfrom being shipped to China without a license. The company estimates these restrictions could cost it $5.5 billion in revenue. Meanwhile, Huawei, which remains on a U.S. trade blacklist, is reportedly developing its own AI chips for the Chinese market.
“Huawei is exceptional in computing and networkingākey areas for AI advancement,” Huang said. “Theyāve made tremendous progress in recent years.”
Nvidia has argued that U.S. policies should prioritize enhancing domestic competitiveness rather than restricting chip sales, warning that such limitations could undermine Americaās technological leadership. Huang urged policymakers to focus on accelerating AI innovation through supportive regulations.
“This is an industry where we must stay ahead in the global race,” he stressed.
Former President Donald Trump recently praised Huang as “my friend Jensen,” applauding Nvidiaās plans to invest $500 billion in U.S. AI infrastructure over the next five years. Huang expressed confidence in domestic manufacturing, noting that Nvidia will collaborate with Foxconn to assemble AI servers near Houston.
“With determination and national resources, Iām confident we can produce onshore,” Huang stated.
After nearly tripling in value last year, Nvidiaās stock has declined over 20% in 2024 amid broader market downturns, slipping nearly 3% on Wednesday.