Chinese state-linked media have raised fresh concerns over Nvidia’s H20 artificial intelligence chips, warning they could contain a hardware “backdoor” capable of remote shutdown.
The warning came from Yuyuan Tantian, a social media account tied to state broadcaster CCTV, in a WeChat post on Sunday. The article claimed the H20 chips were “neither environmentally friendly, nor technologically advanced, nor safe,” and urged Chinese buyers to avoid them.
The H20 chips were designed for the Chinese market after the U.S. restricted exports of high-end AI chips in late 2023. While the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump initially blocked their sale in April, the decision was reversed in July.
China’s Cyberspace Administration summoned Nvidia on July 31 to address possible “backdoor” risks. Nvidia has strongly denied the accusations, insisting its chips have no hidden access points or remote control features. The company repeated this stance on Sunday in response to the latest report.
This follows earlier criticism from People’s Daily, China’s main state newspaper, which called on Nvidia to provide clear security proof to regain market trust. The ongoing dispute highlights growing tech tensions between the U.S. and China over AI hardware and cybersecurity.
