AMD Gains Approval to Export Instinct MI308 Chips to China, Taking the Lead Over NVIDIA
AMD has received approval to export its Instinct MI308 accelerators to the Chinese market — a move that could shift the competitive balance amid the ongoing tech rivalry between the United States and China.
AMD Gains Export License for Instinct MI308 AI Chips
During the third-quarter earnings presentation, Lisa Su, CEO of AMD, confirmed that the company now holds licenses to export some of its MI308 units to customers in China. However, she noted that despite this progress, the company will not include revenue from these sales in its fourth-quarter forecast, as the Chinese market remains “dynamic.”
Although AMD has not publicly detailed the specifications of the Instinct MI308, reports suggest that it will be in the same range as the NVIDIA H20, which was designed specifically to comply with U.S. export restrictions. These limits set the maximum performance allowed for accelerators bound for China, forcing both companies to adapt their architectures.
Still, the situation gives AMD a slight advantage — NVIDIA has not yet received authorization to export its H20 units, while AMD can already start negotiating supply deals and partnerships.
China’s AI Market
China is one of the largest global markets for artificial intelligence accelerators, serving enterprise applications, data centers, and research labs. Although Beijing continues to promote local alternatives based on architectures such as Loongson or Huawei Ascend, demand for advanced AI solutions and large-scale model training remains strong.
Even so, the market outlook remains uncertain. AMD acknowledges that real demand will depend on political and technological developments, which is why the company is cautious about including these expectations in its future financial results.
For now, one thing is clear: AMD has gained a tactical edge. Time will tell whether this move will prove decisive in the AI race or become just another footnote in the competition with NVIDIA.
