Nvidia Develops Export-Compliant B30A AI Chip for China Market

Nvidia is developing a new AI chip, the B30A, based on its Blackwell architecture, specifically tailored to comply with U.S. export restrictions while targeting the Chinese market. Positioned between the less powerful H20 and the flagship B300 models, the B30A features a single-die design with about half the performance of the B300 but improved memory capacity and NVLink technology, enabling faster data transmission and enhanced AI training capabilities. The chip is expected to deliver superior performance compared to the H20, with up to 144 GB of HBM3e memory and various floating-point operation benchmarks indicating a significant upgrade. Nvidia plans to begin shipping B30A samples to Chinese customers soon, although final specifications and U.S. regulatory approval remain pending. This development reflects Nvidia's strategic balancing act between innovation and regulatory compliance amid geopolitical tensions, with potential tariff arrangements under discussion according to President Donald Trump. Alongside the B30A, Nvidia is also preparing other export-compliant models like the RTX6000D, highlighting its efforts to maintain market presence in China despite strict trade limitations.