Skip to main content
On Air Now

Chinese tech firms train AI models overseas to access Nvidia chips

Major Chinese companies are training AI models abroad to access Nvidia hardware and avoid US restrictions on advanced technology.

Share

Close- up of computer chip with AI sign. Artificial intelligence.
Close- up of computer chip with AI sign. Artificial intelligence. Picture: Alamy

By Camille Bidard

Top Chinese firms are training their AI models abroad in order to access Nvidia’s chips.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Reports say the companies are aiming to work around US measures designed to limit their progress in developing cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology.

Alibaba and Bytedance are among those said to be using data centres across Asia to train their latest models.

By carrying out the work outside mainland China, these firms are able to continue using high-performance Nvidia hardware that is restricted under US export controls.

The move reflects the growing impact of Washington’s technology policies on China’s AI industry, as well as the efforts by leading Chinese companies to maintain competitiveness by securing access to the computing power required for large-scale model training.