ByteDance to Spend $7 Billion on Nvidia Hopper GPUs via U.S. Cloud Computing Amid Export Restrictions

Dec 30, 2024, 02:59 PM

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, plans to spend up to $7 billion on Nvidia's advanced AI chips in 2025, according to a report from The Information. This investment aims to access Nvidia chips outside of China, navigating around U.S. export restrictions that limit Chinese firms' access to such technology. ByteDance intends to rent access to U.S.-based cloud computing resources powered by these chips, a method that does not violate current export laws. The chips in question include Nvidia's Hopper GPUs, which are in high demand and have been subject to smuggling attempts into China via shell companies and middlemen.