Chinese state media says Nvidia H20 chips not safe for China

Nvidia’s (NVDA.O) H20 chips present security risks for China, according to a social media account linked to Chinese state media, which made the claim on Sunday after Beijing raised concerns about potential backdoor access in the chips.

The account, Yuyuan Tantian- affiliated with state broadcaster CCTV also argued in a WeChat post that the H20 chips are neither technologically advanced nor environmentally friendly. “When a type of chip is neither environmentally friendly, nor advanced, nor safe, as consumers, we certainly have the option not to buy it,” the article concluded.

Nvidia did not immediately comment.

The H20 artificial intelligence chips were designed specifically for China after the U.S. restricted exports of advanced AI chips in late 2023. While U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration banned their sale in April amid rising trade tensions, the ban was lifted in July.

On 31 July, China’s cyberspace regulator said it had summoned Nvidia to explain whether the chips contained backdoor security vulnerabilities- hidden mechanisms that bypass normal authentication or controls. Nvidia later denied having any “backdoors” that could enable remote access or control.

Yuyuan Tantian, however, claimed the chips could perform functions such as “remote shutdown” via a hardware backdoor.

The remarks came after similar criticism from the state-run People’s Daily, which earlier this month said Nvidia should provide “convincing security proofs” to ease Chinese concerns over potential risks and restore market confidence.

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