Nvidia Expands China Workforce, Focusing on AI-Driven Autonomous Vehicles Amid Regulatory Challenges

Nvidia Boosts China Hiring for AI-Driven Cars, Report Says

Nvidia (NVDA) has reportedly added hundreds of staff members in China this year to beef up its research capabilities and focus on autonomous driving technologies. According to Bloomberg, Nvidia will end 2024 with around 4,000 people in China, up from just 3,000 at the start of the year. The artificial intelligence (AI) chip giant added around 200 people in Beijing to enhance its research team focused on self-driving cars, the report said, citing people familiar with the operations. Nvidia didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The move by Nvidia to beef up its Chinese self-driving car operations comes as the tech giant whose chips have powered the AI boom is caught up in an ongoing tech war between the U.S. and China. China earlier this week said it is investigating Nvidia for antitrust violations on its 2020 acquisition of Israeli-American networking hardware maker Mellanox Technologies. In October 2022, the U.S. limited sales to China of cutting-edge chips and Nvidia has modified its products to continue selling in the Asian nation. Earlier this month, the Biden administration increased curbs on semiconductor-related exports to China as part of measures to hobble the Asian nation's chip-making ambitions. Shares of the chipmaker are down about 0.5% in premarket trading and have gained more than 180% since the start of the year.

Nvidia steps up hiring in China to focus on AI-driven cars

Nvidia has added hundreds of staff in China this year to enhance its research capabilities and focus on new autonomous driving technologies. The world's second most valuable company will end the year with about 4,000 people in China, up from just about 3,000 at the start of 2024, people familiar with its operations said. In a key part of that expansion, Nvidia added about 200 people in Beijing to beef up a team of researchers working on self-driving technology, the people said, asking not to be named as the information is private. The U.S. company also enlarged its after-sales service and networking software development teams, one person said. Santa Clara, California-based Nvidia is expanding its headcount globally as it works to fulfill runaway demand for its artificial intelligence chips. China, subject to U.S. trade curbs that prevent Nvidia from selling its most advanced semiconductors there, still yielded $5.4 billion in sales in the September quarter. The country remains an important market and a research hub for the U.S. chip designer.

Nvidia is on a hiring spree in China

Despite mounting trade restrictions, Nvidia (NVDA-1.90%) is significantly expanding its presence in China, focusing on artificial intelligence chips for autonomous vehicles, Bloomberg reports. Both a Chinese government antitrust investigation and escalating trade tensions between Beijing and Washington complicate the semiconductor giant's efforts. According to Bloomberg, Nvidia has boosted its China workforce by a third, going from a 3,000-employee headcount at the start of the year to its current 4,000-employee headcount. Among those hires are a team dedicated to self-driving cars. The expansion comes amid heightened Chinese regulatory scrutiny of U.S. technology firms, particularly those developing artificial intelligence systems. National security concerns have intensified as defense contractors and military suppliers increase their AI investments, adding to the economic tensions between the two nations. Last week, the Commerce Department announced new restrictions on the sale of semiconductors to China. In turn, China announced that it would be curbing exports of the raw materials used to build those semiconductors to the U.S. Additionally, Nvidia itself is in the middle of an antitrust investigation by Chinese authorities regarding a chipmaker it acquired in 2020.

Amid Anti-Monopoly Probe, NVIDIA on a Hiring Spree in China | AI News

China is a crucial market for the chipmaker, both as a significant revenue source and as a hub for advancing its R&D capabilities. Amid trade restrictions and a probe into suspicions of violating China's anti-monopoly law, US chipmaker NVIDIA has hired 200 people to expand its research and development into autonomous AI-driven cars, Bloomberg reported. The company now employs around 4,000 people in China, up from about 3,000 at the start of 2024, the media house reported, citing sources. The company also strengthened its after-sales and software development teams to better support its operations in the region. China is a crucial market for the chipmaker, both as a significant revenue source and as a hub for advancing its R&D capabilities. The probe by China is the latest salvo in the ongoing US-China trade war over the semiconductor market. An email sent to NVIDIA did not elicit any response. The East Asian country remains a key market for NVIDIA, generating $5.4 billion in revenue in the last quarter alone. Reports even claim that GPU-giant NVIDIA is preparing a specialised AI chip for the Chinese market. This is all the more important as NVIDIA's strategic partner, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), stopped shipping 7nm and below chips, including GPUs, to Chinese AI chipmakers following U.S. sanctions to block Huawei's indirect access. With intensifying competition in the global semiconductor industry, TSMC is engaging in strategic discussions with NVIDIA to produce its Blackwell AI chips at its Arizona facility. The demand for Blackwell chips has propelled the company's financial performance. In the third quarter of fiscal 2025, the company reported record revenue of $35.1 billion, a 94% increase year-over-year, controlling 95% of the AI chip market. China's growing electric vehicle (EV) industry presents significant opportunities for NVIDIA. Domestic automakers are eager to incorporate advanced automation and AI technologies into their offerings, aligning well with NVIDIA's decade-long expertise in driving automation. Globally, NVIDIA employs nearly 30,000 people across 36 countries. Its expansion in China includes a new office in Beijing's Zhongguancun tech hub, positioning the company to collaborate more effectively with local industry leaders. China's very own Baidu continues to make strides in autonomous vehicles with its Apollo project, achieving L4 autonomy across major Chinese cities and competing with players like Waymo and Tesla Robotaxi. It also serves as a platform provider for several automakers. On the computing front, Baidu launched Baige 4.0, its upgraded AI Heterogeneous Computing Platform, improving cluster stability and efficiency.

Nvidia Adds Hundreds To Its Workforce In China To Build Autonomous Driving Tech Amid Antitrust Investigation: Report - NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA)

AI chipmaker Nvidia Corp. NVDA has reportedly added hundreds of staff in China this year. What Happened: Nvidia will now end the year with nearly 4,000 employees, marking a significant increase from the 3,000 at the onset of the year, reported Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter. The increase in workforce in China is aimed at improving the company's research capabilities and focus on new autonomous driving technologies, the report said. The report said Nvidia has added 200 people to its team of researchers in Beijing working on autonomous driving. People have also been added to the company's after-sales service and networking software development teams. Nvidia has been developing driving automation and AI software for over a decade, the report noted, while adding that the efforts are yet to yield results. Why It Matters: Overall, Nvidia had 29,600 employees in 36 countries around the world as of February. The company has been adding more to meet the rising demand for its AI chips. China has seen a surge in EV sales and companies over the past few years. Autonomous driving technology, therefore, has significant demand in the country. However, earlier this week, China launched an antitrust investigation centered on Nvidia's acquisition of Israeli networking company Mellanox Technologies, approved in 2020, and its potential violations of China's anti-monopoly laws. Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by following this link. Read Next: GM's Cruise Exit Draws Sharp Reaction From Co-Founder Kyle Vogt: Tesla CEO Elon Musk Says Autonomous Driving Is A 'Very Hard Problem' Photo courtesy: Shutterstock Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Nvidia increases China hiring with focus on AI-driven cars- Bloomberg By Investing.com

Investing.com-- NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) added hundreds of staff in China this year with a focus on increasing its research capabilities and developing new artificial intelligence-based autonomous driving technologies, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. The company added about 200 people in Beijing to strengthen a team of researchers looking into self-driving, Bloomberg reported. The company also increased its after-sales service and networking software teams in the country. The move comes amid increasing interest in autonomous driving in China, with established majors such as Baidu Inc (NASDAQ:BIDU) already offering robotaxi services in certain cities through its Apollo Go venture. Robotaxi firm Pony AI also recently listed on the Nasdaq at an over $5 billion valuation. China was seen pulling ahead of the U.S. in the robotaxi race this year, amid friendlier regulatory conditions and aggressive competition among local firms. U.S. electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) also recently unveiled a robotaxi, and updated its full self-driving software for more autonomy.