Reuters: more than $3 billion in Chinese AI projects rely on restricted Nvidia chips

Nvidia has said U.S. export controls have effectively shut it out of China's AI data-center market, but an exclusive Reuters review has identified more than $3 billion in Chinese computing projects built around the chipmaker's restricted processors.

What Reuters found

Reuters examined more than 150 Chinese procurement notices, investment plans, construction contracts and corporate disclosures, identifying projects and equipment agreements with a combined reported value of more than 23 billion yuan ($3.2 billion). The estimate includes planned investments, signed contracts and completed installations, and covers buildings, power systems and other infrastructure rather than spending on chips alone.

The projects stretch from China's wealthy coastal technology hubs to remote western provinces and reach beyond the largest tech firms into local government-backed ventures, universities and regional computing centers. They are designed around Nvidia's restricted H100, H200 and H800 processors. One facility in northwestern Gansu province was expected to install thousands of Nvidia chips before year-end, though it is unclear whether they ever arrived.

Huang's exit and tighter scrutiny

The findings were published a day after Nvidia co-founder Jensen Huang resigned as chief executive. Reuters reports that Huang's departure could weaken Nvidia's lobbying leverage as U.S. lawmakers press for tighter controls, leaving Chinese operators exposed to delays, supply disruptions or costly redesigns around domestic chips.

Nvidia's August filing said it was effectively excluded from China's data-center computing market, while an IDC report cited by Reuters in October estimated that Nvidia still accounted for 34% of Chinese AI-accelerator shipments in the first half of 2026. Reuters notes that the figures measure different things and do not establish how the restricted hardware reached Chinese users.

The projects identified have not been linked to Megaspeed or the allegations involving Huang, and there has been no public finding that Huang violated export-control laws. China's commerce ministry and Nvidia did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.

Sources: Reuters