A senior US senator has raised concerns about whether Nvidia’s advanced artificial intelligence chips are being sent to China despite American export restrictions. Senator Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, highlighted recent Justice Department cases involving the alleged diversion of Nvidia’s technology worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Warren has questioned Nvidia’s compliance with US export-control laws and the potential national security risks involved.
In a letter to Nvidia’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Tim Teter, and Audit Committee Chair, Brooke Seawell, Warren requested information on the company’s compliance practices and the accuracy of its public statements regarding the diversion of AI chips to China. She pointed to enforcement actions by the US Department of Justice, which included schemes diverting Nvidia products to China through countries like Malaysia and Thailand.
Warren emphasized that these allegations contradict statements made by Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, who denied any evidence of AI chip diversion to China. The senator highlighted the need for Nvidia’s Board of Directors to ensure compliance with export controls and raised concerns about risks to investors and national security. Federal regulations prohibit unlicensed exports of advanced AI chips to embargoed countries like China.
The senator also mentioned a 2026 indictment involving individuals linked to Super Micro Computer, where servers loaded with restricted Nvidia products were allegedly exported to China. Warren inquired whether Nvidia’s Audit Committee considers the alleged product diversion a material legal risk and requested information on the company’s export-control compliance. Responses to her queries were sought by June 18.
