TechCheck China tech's lock-in to Nvidia chips 8/11/25
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Aug 11, 2025 
Eunice Yoon, CNBC's Beijing correspondent, provides insights into China's complex relationship with NVIDIA's H20 chip. She discusses how despite President Trump's claims of obsolescence, these chips remain industry standards due to slow competition. Yoon highlights the significance of the H20 in China's AI landscape and explores the national security concerns surrounding its usage. The podcast also sheds light on the ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and China and their impact on technological advancements.
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State Media Raises Backdoor Fears
- Chinese state-linked accounts accused the H20 of potential backdoors and demanded proof.
- NVIDIA issued a firm denial that its chips allow remote access or control.
H20 Is China’s Default AI Chip
- The H20 dominates China’s AI deployments because it excels at inference.
- Chinese firms like Alibaba and Baidu rely on it for production-grade AI.
China Walking A Diplomatic Tightrope
- China publicly seeks relaxed export rules while signaling a desire to reduce U.S. dependency.
- Jimmy Goodrich says Beijing balances practical needs against political messaging.