Will DePue, a former OpenAI researcher, has uncovered technical proof that six Chinese AI models—including DeepSeek, Moonshot AI, MiniMax, and Ant Group—are utilizing Nvidia's Blackwell GPUs despite US export restrictions. This finding was reported by The Decoder.
The Decoder also revealed that the hardware used for five training runs involving these GPUs cost over half a billion dollars. This suggests significant investment in advanced AI infrastructure within China, circumventing US export controls.
For Japanese investors and market watchers, this development underscores ongoing geopolitical tensions affecting the semiconductor and AI sectors, which are critical to technology supply chains and investment strategies in the region.