Shortly after NVIDIA secured U.S. government approval to resume H20 chip sales in China, Advanced Micro Devices confirmed it will restart exporting its MI308 chips to the Chinese market. AMD indicated its export license applications have entered the review phase, with approvals anticipated.
The development trails NVIDIA's earlier announcement about recommencing H20 chip sales in China. AMD disclosed that the U.S. Commerce Department recently notified the company that its MI308 license applications would proceed, stating it "plans to resume shipments upon approval." In an official statement, AMD praised the Trump administration's progress in trade negotiations and commitment to U.S. artificial intelligence leadership.
Both semiconductor giants previously faced AI hardware export constraints under consecutive administrations. The Biden administration enacted comprehensive AI proliferation regulations, while the subsequent Trump administration revoked those rules but imposed specific restrictions on H20 and MI308 chips. AMD estimated these measures would cause approximately $800 million in losses across inventory, procurement commitments, and reserves—significantly less than NVIDIA's $5.5 billion write-down yet impactful enough to strain AMD's finances. This policy reversal consequently delivers positive momentum for AMD.
Following the announcement, AMD shares surged nearly 5% in pre-market trading, paralleling NVIDIA's gains. The lifting of export bans on H20 and MI308 chips signifies a substantial policy shift in Washington. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has consistently opposed such restrictions, criticizing export controls as ineffective while applauding the revocation of AI proliferation rules. Huang repeatedly cautioned that such measures could diminish U.S. influence in global AI development and accelerate domestic innovation in countries like China, potentially catalyzing competing hardware solutions.
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