Senator probes conflicting claims on Nvidia's AI chip exports to China amid national security concerns

Senator Chris Coons has questioned the U.S. Commerce Department about conflicting statements regarding Nvidia's export of H200 AI chips to China. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed no chips have been sold to Chinese firms yet, contradicting Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's earlier statement that approvals were secured for sales to China. The senator expressed concerns that allowing these advanced AI chips to reach China could threaten U.S. national security and economic competitiveness. He requested detailed information on export licenses and shipments within a week, highlighting the issue's geopolitical sensitivity ahead of upcoming U.S.-China talks.