NVIDIA Prepares B20 “Blackwell” AI Accelerator for China, Complying with US Regulations

NVIDIA is set to introduce a new AI GPU exclusive to China, the B20, leveraging its next-gen Blackwell GPU architecture.

Blackwell AI Powerhouse Coming to China

At GTC 2024, NVIDIA unveiled its cutting-edge Blackwell AI GPU architecture, featuring the B100 and B200 chips, designed for advanced AI solutions. These chips will be available in the second half of this year, with high demand anticipated. NVIDIA aims to offer a US export-compliant variant for China, based on the same architecture.

Positive Market Response to H20 AI Accelerator

NVIDIA’s H20 AI accelerator, based on the Hopper architecture, has seen a surge in demand in China, following a slow start. This increase is attributed to Huawei’s inability to meet domestic AI demand, prompting customers to turn to NVIDIA’s H20. This demand is expected to generate billions in revenue for NVIDIA, despite the H20 being a cut-down version to comply with US regulations.

Introducing the B20 AI Accelerator

According to Reuters, NVIDIA is developing a China-exclusive variant, the B20, based on the Blackwell architecture. This new accelerator, confirmed by three sources, will succeed the H20. NVIDIA is collaborating with Inspur for the launch and distribution of the B20 in China.

Impact on China’s AI Market

The introduction of NVIDIA’s Blackwell AI accelerators in China is significant, as it will increase competition for domestic firms like Huawei and Tencent. The export-compliant offerings from NVIDIA are expected to further disrupt the market, similar to the H20, which is projected to achieve over 1 million sales in China by the end of this year, generating over $12 billion in revenue.

Compliance with US Regulations

The B20 AI accelerator will be specifically tuned to meet US Total Processing Performance (TPP) requirements. Additionally, rumors suggest that NVIDIA is also developing a new flagship gaming graphics card, the RTX 5090D, designed for the Chinese market as a successor to the RTX 4090D, the first consumer-aimed export-compliant graphics card.

By focusing on compliance and innovation, NVIDIA continues to expand its presence in the Chinese AI market, offering advanced solutions while adhering to international regulations.