Better Offline The Black Market for AI GPUs with Steve Burke
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Sep 3, 2025 
Steve Burke, a prominent investigator from Gamers Nexus, delves into the fascinating world of the AI GPU black market. He shares insights on the smuggling of NVIDIA's GPUs into China and the resulting supply chain complexities. The conversation touches on copyright disputes stemming from his investigative work, including a mysterious DMCA complaint. Burke explores how international students navigate pricing disparities and the challenges for legitimate businesses amidst increasing demand and geopolitical tensions in the tech industry.
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Bloomberg Copyright Strike Pulled The Video
- GamersNexus had its video on GPU smuggling taken down after Bloomberg issued a copyright strike claiming a Trump clip.
- Steve Burke described the takedown process and how YouTube holds the video offline while disputes proceed.
DMCA Process Favors Big Claimants
- YouTube automatically acts on large claimants, forcing creators to dispute and lose momentum while the video stays offline.
- If the claimant doesn't file suit within ten business days, YouTube typically restores the video and releases held revenue.
Local Contacts Opened The Supply Chain
- GamersNexus found a university professor in Hong Kong who used high-end GPUs and helped them trace suppliers and the smuggling chain.
- Steve Burke used that first contact to follow links from users to suppliers and middlemen on the ground.