Nvidia CEO warned: China could overtake US in AI leadership race

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said China is fast approaching leadership in artificial intelligence and could «win the AI race» if the US continues to slow innovation due to over-regulation and export restrictions. He said this at the Financial Times Future of AI summit held in London. Huang said China lags behind America «by just nanoseconds» underscoring how quickly the technology gap between the countries is closing.

Huang said China’s AI technology is only a nanosecond behind America’s, underscoring how quickly the technological gap between the countries is closing.

Huang urged Western countries not to hold back the development of artificial intelligence, but to accelerate it. «It is essential that America wins by getting ahead of others and attracting developers around the world», — he later wrote on Platform X.

Huang said he would not let America win by outpacing others and attracting developers around the world.

China’s government support, including energy subsidies and investment in the semiconductor industry, is allowing local companies to grow faster, he said. Beijing’s investments in chip manufacturing and AI research are shaping an ecosystem comparable in scale and ambition to the U.S.

Beijing’s investments in chip manufacturing and AI research are shaping an ecosystem comparable in scale and ambition to that of the U.S.

And it’s also shaping an ecosystem comparable in scale and ambition to the U.S.

Huang said that despite technological challenges, China’s developer community and government policies are united by a common goal — to achieve independence in artificial intelligence.

The U.S. government recently reiterated its ban on the sale of Nvidia’s advanced Blackwell series chips to China, citing national security concerns. Huang criticized the restrictions, saying they undermine the competitiveness of the U.S. industry and only encourage China to more aggressively develop its own solutions.

Huang criticized the restrictions, saying they undermine the competitiveness of the U.S. industry and only encourage China to develop its own solutions.

He also emphasized that excessive regulation at the state level and high energy costs are stifling innovation in the U.S.. «Cynicism and overregulation are making it increasingly difficult for U.S. companies to move forward», — he said.

Nvidia shares briefly declined after his remarks were published, and Huang clarified that he was not predicting a U.S. defeat, only calling for faster action to maintain leadership. Despite the recent drop in capitalization, Nvidia remains the most valuable company in the world with a valuation of about $4.7 trillion.

However, Nvidia is still the most valuable company in the world, with a valuation of about $4.7 trillion.

Huang’s remarks come amid a growing technology standoff between the U.S. and China. While Washington restricts Beijing’s access to advanced AI chips, China is actively investing in developing its own technology.

The main message of Huang’s speech was clear: America must win not through isolation, but through innovation and cooperation. «We want America to win», — he said, — «but winning means building faster, not building walls».