What A Day The White House's Mob Boss Approach To AI Chips
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Aug 15, 2025 Ashley Gold, a senior tech and policy reporter at Axios, dives into Nvidia's controversial deal with the U.S. government where they'll share 15% of profits from AI chip sales to China. Gold likens this arrangement to a mob-like protective scheme, raising alarms about national security risks and corporate influence. The discussion also touches on the evolving dynamics between tech and politics, particularly under the Trump administration, and highlights the implications of international meetings and state-level political maneuvers.
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Government Takes Profit Share On Chip Sales
- The Trump administration struck a deal requiring NVIDIA and AMD to give 15% of profits from Chinese AI chip sales to the U.S. government.
- The White House signals this model could expand to other companies, blending trade policy with revenue capture.
Unprecedented And Possibly Unconstitutional Move
- Axios reporter Ashley Gold called the deal entirely unprecedented and raised constitutional concerns.
- Republican lawmakers, including Rep. John Moolenaar, questioned whether export-control actions like this are lawful.
Deal Undermines National Security Claims
- The deal weakens the credibility of national security justifications for tech export restrictions.
- If the government profits from permitting sales, it becomes harder to argue certain tech must be restricted on security grounds.