TBPN Ali Partovi, Tim Fist, China's Semiconductor Evolution, NVIDIA's China Business
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Apr 16, 2025 
Ali Partovi, an early investor known for backing Facebook and Airbnb, joins Tim Fist, a researcher from the Institute of Progress, to unravel the complexities of China's semiconductor evolution. They delve into the historical context of China's chip industry and the challenges posed by U.S. export controls. The discussion highlights NVIDIA's tech and its geopolitical implications, along with insights into talent investment and mentorship in technology. With an eye on the future, they explore the balance of AI, military tech, and the competitive landscape shaping innovation.
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China's Semiconductor History
- China has been strategically developing its semiconductor industry since the 1970s, with various government programs like the 863 and 908 projects.
- Despite early setbacks, these initiatives laid the groundwork for China's current semiconductor capabilities and ambitions.
State-Run Semiconductor Companies in China
- China's semiconductor development involves state-run corporations, which, despite bureaucratic inefficiencies, benefit from strategic importance and consistent capital flow.
- This allows them to "brute force" their way to some relevancy over time.
NVIDIA's Early AI Dominance
- In 2017, OpenAI received one of the first AI-specific NVIDIA servers, which allowed them to train early GPT models on the entire text of Reddit.
- This highlights NVIDIA's early dominance in AI hardware and its compounding advantage.