The co-founder of a Chinese AI startup has publicly displayed restricted NVIDIA H100 and H200 AI accelerators, seemingly mocking the effectiveness of US trade policies aimed at limiting China's access to advanced technology.
Recent US-China trade tensions have escalated, particularly regarding AI technology. The US has implemented restrictions on exporting AI hardware to China, but individuals and organizations are finding ways around these measures.
The founder's posts (via @Bryon_Wan reveal access to not only NVIDIA's Hopper AI accelerators but also SuperMicro AI server racks, indicating that US restrictions haven't been entirely successful.
🚨 Loopholes in US export control 🚨
— Byron Wan (@Byron_Wan) December 9, 2024
In two videos posted on his Douyin account from 🇨🇳 Guangdong on Nov 28 and 29 respectively, cofounder of Beijing-based startup incubator Kun Lun Nest (昆仑巢) 🇨🇳 Su Di (苏菂), who previously founded incubator/cafe Garage Coffee (车库咖啡) in… pic.twitter.com/YGbJzjNMU5
The founder claims more H100/H200 GPUs are on the way and that supply isn't an issue. While direct imports are restricted, China is reportedly sourcing the hardware through third-party countries like Malaysia and Singapore, exploiting a legal loophole.
This situation demonstrates the limitations of current US trade policies, which seem to be fueling domestic alternatives within China and highlighting the global interconnectedness of the AI market. Stricter measures across the entire supply chain might be necessary for more effective restrictions, but the importance of China in the global AI landscape cannot be ignored.
