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U.S. President Donald Trump says Nvidia’s most advanced artificial intelligence chip, known as Blackwell, will not be shared with other nations. On a pre-recorded episode of 60 Minutes, Trump stated the powerful chip would be restricted to American companies only. He said (via Reuters), “The most advanced, we will not let anybody have them other than the United States.” “We’re not giving it to other people,” he said, according to RTÉ News. The Blackwell chip, designed by California-based Nvidia, is currently the most capable AI processor in the world. It can train and run massive AI models faster and more efficiently than previous generations. If the chip is restricted only to the U.S., it will give local tech firms a decisive edge in artificial intelligence development. Now, Trump’s remarks on the CBS show has people wondering if there will be an overall change in high-end technology exports. Reuters previously reported that Trump had hinted in August he might allow “scaled-down” versions to be sold abroad. But now it seems as if he wants to keep the most powerful version within American borders According to LiveMint, Trump suggested creating a modified version of the chip for foreign buyers that performs at “30% to 50% off” the capacity of the original. Trump’s comments may indicate that the U.S. wants to maintain its lead in artificial intelligence and prevent rivals like China from catching up. Nvidia previously announced plans to supply more than 260,000 Blackwell chips to South Korea, per RTE, including deliveries to Samsung Electronics. That deal indicates Washington may still favor allied nations while cutting off strategic competitors. Earlier this year, Nvidia’s Chief Executive Jensen Huang has said the company is not seeking export licenses. “China made it clear they don’t want Nvidia there right now,” he said. Experts say restricting top-tier AI chips could magnify the differences between the U.S. and China in emerging technology. According to LiveMint, if China does not import new powerful chips, China could have less than 30 times the computing AI power that the U.S. has. Investing.com notes, AI is like the oil. Whoever controls the technology, dictates the future. And to take it just one step further, AI chips are now being treated like strategic defense assets, not just commercial tech. Similar to nuclear or satellite technology, access to top AI chips like Nvidia is being controlled to maintain geopolitical advantage. As for Nvidia, Trump’s stance on their technology exports could affect their bottom line. China was once a major customer for Nvidia’s data-center products, but that market is at zero under U.S. export controls, per Tekedia. However, their more exclusive offering may benefit from a rising demand at home and in friendly markets such as South Korea and Japan. AI hardware is no longer just commercial technology, and it is becoming a strategic asset, central to national power and security. Trump’s stance signals that the world’s most advanced AI chip may now serve as both a symbol and a tool of U.S. dominance in the next phase of the global tech race.
