北京加大对中企购买本土AI芯片的引导力度，意图借此扩大半导体行业规模并对抗美国的制裁行动。监管部门已劝说企业减少采购Nvidia旗下用于研发与运行AI模型的H20系列芯片，措施以指导性文件形式呈现而非发布禁令，以防损害本国AI初创公司发展及加剧中美紧张关系。北京此举旨在为国内AI芯片制造商开拓市场空间，并准备在潜在更多美国限制条件下保障本土科技企业的需求。
具体而言，监管机构向企业发出窗口指导，鼓励使用国产供应商华为与Cambricon的产品以减少对Nvidia的依赖；同时通过地方商协会进一步传达指示。然而，北京亦对本地公司提出期望：尽可能构建最优秀的AI系统，即便此过程中可能需采购外国半导体芯片替代国内产品，政府也会宽容这一情况。
就全球数据中心市场而言，英伟达(Nvidia)作为最具价值的芯片制造商，正受到各国竞相购买其处理器的热潮驱动。尽管中美贸易限制造成了影响，中国市场依然保持增长态势；今年上半年从中国及香港地区获得的收入比例约为12%，总计37亿美元，相比去年增长了逾三成。
此外，美国政府曾禁止英伟达向中国客户销售最前沿AI芯片以遏制北京的技术进步。不过，公司已调整后续版本产品设计，使其符合美国商务部规则规定。
针对Nvidia H20系列芯片的使用情况，中国政府相关部门近期通过窗口指导方式提示企业减少依赖。目标是鼓励转向华为与Cambricon等国内供应商，同时地方商协会也参与其中加大了宣传力度。与此同时，北京支持半导体产业，并给予相应补贴政策，但国产AI芯片目前仍落后于Nvidia。
尽管面临美国的制裁挑战，中国的AI领域依然发展迅速，字节跳动、阿里巴巴等公司持续投入并积极推动；众多初创企业也竞相寻求领先地位。当前在大语言模型这一关键人工智能技术方面有六家“独角兽”企业处于竞争前沿：01.AI、百川、月光射线、MiniMax、步飞烟以及致朴。
有消息透露，在针对H20系列芯片的政府指令下，某些中企仍选择忽视官方建议并急于在年底前可能到来的美国制裁之前大量采购此款芯片；同时，为满足中国政府的要求，这些企业亦购买华为自有品牌的芯片。
新闻来源：www.bloomberg.com
原文地址：China Urges Local Companies to Stay Away From Nvidia’s AI Chips
新闻日期：2024-09-27
原文摘要：
Beijing is stepping up pressure on Chinese companies to buy locally produced artificial intelligence chips instead of products, part of the nation’s effort to expand its semiconductor industry and counter US sanctions.Chinese regulators have been discouraging companies from purchasing Nvidia’s H20 chips, which are used to develop and run AI models, according to people familiar with the matter. The policy has taken the form of guidance rather than an outright ban, as Beijing wants to avoid handicapping its own AI startups and escalating tensions with the US, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private.The move is designed to help domestic Chinese AI chipmakers gain more market share while preparing local tech companies for any potential additional US restrictions, the people said. The country’s leading makers of AI processors include and Earlier this year, Beijing local electric-vehicle makers to procure more of their supplies from local chipmakers, part of its campaign to reach self-sufficiency in critical technologies. Nvidia shares fell as much as 3.9% to $119.26 on Friday, extending an earlier decline, after Bloomberg reported the news. The stock has more than doubled this year. Read More: The US government banned Nvidia from selling its most advanced AI processors to Chinese customers , part of an attempt to limit Beijing’s technological advances. Nvidia, based in Santa Clara, California, modified subsequent versions of the chips so they could be sold under US Commerce Department regulations. The H20 line fits that criteria.In recent months, several Chinese regulators, including the powerful Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, issued so-called window guidance — instructions without the force of law — to reduce the use of Nvidia, the people said. The notice was aimed at encouraging companies to rely on domestic vendors like Huawei and Cambricon, they added. Beijing also amplified the message via a local trade group, according to another. At the same time, Chinese officials want local companies to build the best AI systems possible. If that means they need to buy some foreign semiconductors over domestic alternatives, Beijing will still tolerate that, according to people familiar with China’s AI policy. Nvidia declined to comment. China’s Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Information and Technology, and Cyberspace Administration didn’t respond to faxed requests for comment. Separately, Nvidia Chief Executive Officer that he’s doing his best to serve customers in China and stay within the requirements of US government restrictions.“The first thing we have to do is comply with whatever policies and regulations that are being imposed,” he said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. “And, meanwhile, do the best we can to compete in the markets that we serve. We have a lot of customers there that depend on us, and we’ll do our best to support them.”Nvidia, the world’s most valuable chipmaker, has seen sales soar as data center operators across the globe scramble to buy more of its processors. China continues to be part of that growth, though trade restrictions have taken a toll. In the July quarter, it got 12% of its revenue, or about $3.7 billion, from the country, including Hong Kong. That was up more than 30% from a year earlier.“Our data center revenue in China grew sequentially in Q2 and is a significant contributor to our data center revenue,” Chief Financial Officer during an earnings call in August. “As a percentage of total data center revenue, it remains below levels seen prior to the imposition of export controls. We continue to expect the China market to be very competitive going forward.” Nvidia chips are the gold standard for companies looking to develop artificial intelligence services. The likes of , OpenAI and have been to scoop up its most cutting-edge products so they can build leading AI models. Several Chinese tech companies, including ByteDance Ltd. and Tencent Holdings Ltd., Nvidia’s chips before the export controls took effect.Chinese chip designers and manufacturers, meanwhile, are working to introduce alternatives to Nvidia. Beijing has offered to the semiconductor sector, but local AI chips remain well behind Nvidia’s fare.China does have a burgeoning AI sector, though, despite the US restrictions. ByteDance and have been investing aggressively, while a flock of startups are vying for leadership. There are six so-called tigers in developing large language models, the key technology behind generative AI: 01.AI, Baichuan, Moonshot, MiniMax, Stepfun and Zhipu.Some of the companies are turning a blind eye to the Chinese decree to avoid H20 chips and rushing to buy more of them before an anticipated sanction from the US by the end of this year, one of the people said, though they are also buying homemade Huawei chips to please Beijing.
