Nvidia has instructed its global data center and cloud computing partners to sell at least 51% of their services to non-Chinese companies. The measure, revealed by Financial Times this Tuesday (3), establishes a new commercial restriction for operators that offer remote access to the American manufacturer's advanced chips.
According to the British newspaper, which spoke with five people familiar with the decision, the instructions were communicated verbally by Nvidia's sales and regional teams over the last few months. The guidance applies to new contracts worldwide, without changing existing lease agreements.
Until then, the manufacturer had not set this type of limit on the composition of its partners' customer base.
The change affects an alternative used by Chinese companies to access advanced computing capacity. Faced with American restrictions on semiconductor exports, these companies began renting servers installed in other countries to develop and train artificial intelligence models.
Cloud operators face difficulties meeting the requirement
The measure especially affects infrastructure providers in Southeast Asia, where Chinese companies account for a significant share of demand for AI processing.
An operator based in Singapore reported to Financial Times that finding enough non-Chinese customers, especially outside the United States, is difficult. Strict enforcement of the guidance could harm its business and force facilities to scale back operations.
However, the mandatory nature of the measure is not yet clear. The specialized outlet The Information reported, based on three sources, that the guidance has not been applied as a rigid rule. According to its reporting, Nvidia has also begun requesting information about the end users of the chips.
Contacted by AFP, the manufacturer neither confirmed nor denied the existence of the 51% requirement. In a statement, it argued that data centers equipped with American semiconductors are fundamental to the international competitiveness of U.S. artificial intelligence companies.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said she was unaware of the report and reiterated the expectation of a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for companies from all countries.
The initiative comes as Washington expands efforts to restrict Chinese access to advanced processors, including through intermediaries and computing services hosted outside China.
