Nvidia Warns 'America First' GPU Bill Threatens Global Competition
The proposed GAIN AI Act would force chipmakers to prioritize domestic orders, a move Nvidia calls a 'self-defeating policy' based on a non-existent problem.
A legislative battle is brewing over the world's most advanced artificial intelligence chips, with industry giant Nvidia publicly opposing a U.S. Senate proposal aimed at prioritizing American buyers. The company is pushing back against the Guaranteeing Access and Innovation for National Artificial Intelligence (GAIN AI) Act, which would require U.S. developers like Nvidia and AMD to offer their high-performance processors to domestic customers before selling them overseas.
Proponents of the bill, such as its sponsor Senator Jim Banks, champion it as an "" to ensure the U.S. dominates the race to AI. The legislation, which was recently added to a draft of the National Defense Authorization Act, would establish strict export controls, forcing companies to certify that there is no domestic backlog before shipping advanced GPUs abroad.
Nvidia has forcefully opposed the measure, arguing it attempts to solve a problem that does not exist. A company spokesperson called a similar past proposal a "self-defeating policy, based on doomer science fiction," and insisted that its global sales do not deprive U.S. customers. , the company warned the bill would "restrict competition worldwide in any industry that uses mainstream computing chips."
The GAIN AI Act defines "advanced integrated circuits" with specific performance thresholds, potentially restricting a broad range of GPUs beyond the current top-tier export bans targeting China. The move highlights the escalating tension between U.S. national security interests and the global business models of semiconductor leaders, potentially reshaping how they navigate international markets if the bill becomes law.