Jensen Huang declines Senate testimony on Nvidia's AI chip exports to China, offers tour instead

Jensen Huang Declines Senate Testimony Amid Rising Scrutiny

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has declined an invitation from Senator Elizabeth Warren to testify before the Senate Banking Committee this Thursday, marking a significant absence at a hearing focused on American AI development and technological dominance 1

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. Warren, D-Mass., had specifically requested Huang appear under oath to discuss Nvidia's business in China and the company's views on U.S. export controls, which govern the sale of advanced American technology abroad 2

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. The hearing, titled "AI and the American Dream: Promoting Innovation, Affordability, and American Dominance," will now proceed without one of the most powerful executives in the AI industry 3

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Senator Elizabeth Warren Criticizes Huang's Priorities

Warren responded sharply to Huang's decision, questioning his priorities and availability. "If Mr. Huang has time to attend a $1 million-a-head dinner at Mar-a-Lago and fly across the world to meet with President Xi Jinping of China, he should be able to find time to answer questions from Congress," Warren stated 1

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. She emphasized that "the American people deserve answers in a public forum" and noted that Nvidia sits at the center of critical questions about artificial intelligence, economic competition, and national security 3

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. Warren's concerns center on whether Nvidia's AI chips, designed for AI training and inference, are being repurposed for military applications in China 2

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Nvidia China Chip Sales Face Mounting Pressure

The scrutiny comes as Nvidia's China business faces significant headwinds from export restrictions. Revenue from customers headquartered in China, including Hong Kong, fell to $4.55 billion in the first quarter from $9.66 billion a year earlier, a decline of approximately 53% 4

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. Despite this sharp drop, Nvidia reported record first-quarter revenue of $81.6 billion, up 85% year over year 4

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. Warren has separately criticized the Commerce Department's export control regime as riddled with loopholes that allow Chinese companies to acquire advanced chips through overseas subsidiaries in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand 2

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. Just last week, the Commerce Department moved to close a glaring export control loophole that may have allowed companies like Nvidia to export powerful AI chips to countries otherwise banned from obtaining advanced American chips 3

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Huang Defends American Competitiveness Strategy

In his response letter to Warren dated June 6, Huang said he was unable to attend the AI hearing but appreciated the committee's focus on these important issues 1

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. He emphasized Nvidia's long-standing commitment to US AI leadership, noting that "NVIDIA designed, built, and delivered the first AI supercomputer to American researchers over a decade ago" 1

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. Huang has consistently argued that restricting Nvidia's China sales hurts American competitiveness without slowing Chinese AI development 2

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. "We should ensure that American companies have the best and the most and first," Huang told reporters in December, though "we should offer the most competitive chips we can to the Chinese market" 3

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. He sits on President Donald Trump's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and has repeatedly urged American lawmakers and regulators to allow broader sales of Nvidia chips around the world 3

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What Happens Next for AI and China Policy

Whether the Senate Banking Committee subpoenas Huang or accepts his counterproposal to visit Nvidia's Santa Clara headquarters will signal how far Congress is willing to push the confrontation with the AI industry's most powerful hardware supplier 2

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. Congress is currently contemplating several bills that would further restrict the sale of chips and relevant chipmaking equipment to China, along with other U.S. rivals 3

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. The Thursday panel will convene experts from D.C. think tanks and advocacy groups about America's AI export controls, including Mike Flynn from The Information Technology Industry Council, David Feith from the Hudson Institute, Will Rinehart from The American Enterprise Institute, and Dr. Sarah Myers West from the AI Now Institute 3

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. The ongoing debate highlights the tension between maintaining American competitiveness in global markets while preventing advanced technology from potentially strengthening foreign military capabilities.