Nvidia and AMD have intensified their lobbying efforts with the White House over export restrictions on China, according to people familiar with the matter. The push comes as US tech companies and national security officials clash over how tightly to control the flow of advanced AI chips to Chinese buyers.
The two chipmakers are trying to shape the next round of export rules before they are finalized. Their argument is straightforward: tighter restrictions would hurt American firms without stopping China from building its own AI capabilities.
Why the chipmakers are pushing back
Nvidia and AMD dominate the market for graphics processors used in AI training and inference. For Nvidia in particular, China has long been a major source of revenue. Export controls introduced over the past two years have already forced the company to design special downgraded chips for the Chinese market — and those workarounds have themselves come under scrutiny.
The lobbying campaign is not just about preserving sales. The companies argue that if they are cut off from China, domestic alternatives will fill the gap. Huawei and other Chinese firms are already developing their own AI accelerators. From the chipmakers' perspective, the choice is between selling to China and having China build its own stack — not between selling and not selling.
The national security counterargument
National security officials in the White House see it differently. Advanced AI chips are the raw material of military modernization, surveillance systems and autonomous weapons. Allowing them into China, even in downgraded form, risks accelerating capabilities that could one day be used against the US and its allies.
That tension — between commercial interests and security concerns — is now playing out in real time inside the administration. The chipmakers want predictable rules that let them plan product lines years ahead. Security officials want the authority to tighten controls quickly if the strategic situation changes.
What the lobbying looks like
Nvidia and AMD have ramped up meetings with White House officials, according to the people familiar with the discussions. The companies are not asking for a free pass on all exports. Instead, they are pushing for clearer thresholds — specific performance metrics that determine what can and cannot be shipped — so they can design compliant products without waiting for case-by-case approvals.
That approach has worked before. Earlier rounds of restrictions included technical parameters that the companies used to create China-specific chips. But those parameters have been revised multiple times, each time forcing redesigns and inventory write-downs. The chipmakers want fewer surprises.
The global AI stakes
The outcome will shape more than just two companies' balance sheets. AI development is a global race, and the US, China and Europe are all trying to secure access to the most advanced silicon. If Washington tightens controls further, China will accelerate its own chip efforts. If it loosens them, US firms could gain short-term revenue but potentially cede long-term strategic advantage.
Nvidia and AMD are not the only companies watching. Cloud providers, server makers and AI startups all depend on the same supply chains. A sudden change in export rules can ripple through the entire industry within weeks.
The White House has not announced a timeline for the next round of rules. Nvidia and AMD declined to comment on the lobbying. For now, the two chipmakers are making their case behind closed doors — and waiting to see whether the administration listens.
