China's Moonshot AI seeks Nvidia chip access in Europe

Moonshot AI, a Chinese artificial intelligence lab, is exploring access to Nvidia's advanced chips through data centers in Europe, according to sources. This effort comes amid U.S. export controls that restrict the direct shipment of Nvidia's most powerful chips to China.

Discussions this year have centered on Moonshot renting computing capacity from neoclouds hosting Nvidia graphics processing units (GPUs) in European facilities, according to four individuals familiar with the matter. They declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the information.

Nvidia's dominance in the chip market has made U.S. export controls a key tool in maintaining a competitive edge over China in the AI race. American AI labs like OpenAI and Anthropic are locked in a battle with Chinese developers, including Moonshot AI, which produces the Kimi family of models.

Moonshot is specifically interested in leasing capacity powered by Nvidia's Blackwell systems, which are currently subject to export controls that prohibit their import into China. Three sources confirmed this interest to CNBC.

In July, the White House stated that Moonshot had accessed Nvidia's Blackwell chips via a facility in Thailand. U.S. export rules restrict the shipment of Nvidia's most advanced chips to China, but remote access through overseas data centers presents a loophole that current law does not fully address.

Moonshot, Nvidia, the White House, the U.S. Department of Commerce, China's embassy in the U.K., and its Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to requests for comment. Chinese developers have made significant capability gains in the past six months, and greater access to Nvidia chips could further challenge American rivals.