Chinese artificial intelligence lab Moonshot AI has sought access to advanced Nvidia Blackwell chips through European data centers, according to sources who spoke with CNBC [1]. The company has discussed deals this year to rent capacity from neocloud hosting providers operating Nvidia graphics processing units at facilities in Europe, with talks involving clusters of 8,000 or more Blackwell GPUs [1]. This move represents an attempt to circumvent U.S. export controls that restrict the shipment of Nvidia's most advanced chips to China, as remote access via overseas data centers currently operates in a regulatory gray area where current law does not give regulators broad authority to control companies' access to those chips through cloud services hosted overseas [1].
The development underscores the geopolitical tensions surrounding advanced semiconductor access, with Nvidia's effective monopoly over the most powerful chips making U.S. export controls a key tool in Washington's effort to preserve its technological advantage over China in the AI race [1]. Moonshot AI, which makes the Kimi family of models, is competing directly with American AI labs such as OpenAI and Anthropic in what has become a training and pricing battle [1]. The White House previously accused Moonshot of accessing Nvidia Blackwell chips remotely in East Asia, specifically citing a facility in Thailand in July [1]. According to sources, Moonshot was interested in leasing capacity for both inference—serving models to end users—and potentially training purposes [1].
The pursuit of European-hosted computing power highlights how Chinese developers have made notable capability gains in the past six months, and greater access to Nvidia chips could put additional pressure on American rivals [1]. The arrangement would allow Moonshot to effectively bypass export restrictions through the loophole of remote cloud access, a strategy that reflects the ongoing cat-and-mouse dynamic between U.S. regulatory efforts and Chinese companies seeking to maintain competitive parity in artificial intelligence development [1].
CONCLUSION
Moonshot AI's efforts to access Nvidia Blackwell chips through European data centers expose a significant regulatory loophole in U.S. export controls, potentially enabling Chinese AI companies to narrow the technological gap with American competitors. This development raises questions about the effectiveness of current export restrictions and may prompt policymakers to expand regulatory authority over overseas cloud access to advanced semiconductors. The situation underscores the critical role of chip access in the U.S.-China AI competition and Nvidia's central position in this geopolitical struggle.