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China's DeepSeek trained AI model on Nvidia's best chip despite US ban: Report
DeepSeek trained its AI model using Nvidia’s top Blackwell chips despite export bans, possibly masking chip use and employing distillation from major US AI systems, officials said.
- A senior U.S. government official told Reuters that DeepSeek trained its latest model using Nvidia's Blackwell chips believed installed at an Inner Mongolia data centre, despite export restrictions.
- Facing a shortage of domestic high-end chips, DeepSeek, Hangzhou-based AI startup, used distillation with outputs from OpenAI and Google to boost its latest model's performance.
- U.S. investigators say restricted Blackwell units flow through a sophisticated gray market with recurring deals, while the U.S. Department of Justice shut down a China-linked smuggling network moving tens of millions in GPUs and Singaporean authorities probed server exports to Malaysia.
- Confirmation that DeepSeek obtained Blackwell chips could deepen debate among U.S. lawmakers, while China's embassy in Washington criticised trade politicisation; Nvidia declined to comment and a senior U.S. official stressed `We do not supply Blackwell to China`.
- The disclosure intensifies tensions in the global AI race, as Washington balances commercial interests with national security amid the 80% unused capacity estimate in Chinese data centers, while experts warn of military-use risks.
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Exclusive: China's DeepSeek trained AI model on Nvidia's best chip despite US ban, official says
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek's latest AI model, set to be released as soon as next week, was trained on Nvidia's most advanced AI chip, the Blackwell, a senior Trump administration official said on Monday, in what could represent a violation of U.S. export controls.
·United Kingdom
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According to the US government, the Nvidia chips are bundled in a data center in Inner Mongolia
·Vienna, Austria
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China's DeepSeek trained AI model on Nvidia's best chip despite US ban
The US believes DeepSeek will remove the technical indicators that might reveal its use of American AI chips, the official said, adding that the Blackwells are likely clustered at its data center in Inner Mongolia, an autonomous region of China.
·Mumbai, India
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources10
Leaning Left1Leaning Right1Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution67% Center
Bias Distribution
- 67% of the sources are Center
67% Center
L 17%
C 67%
R 16%
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