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H3C Warns of Nvidia AI Chip Shortage as Chinese Demand Surges

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One of China’s top server manufacturers, H3C, has reportedly warned of a looming shortage of Nvidia’s H20 AI chip—the most advanced processor currently available for sale in China under U.S. export rules. The notice, seen by Reuters, indicates rising concerns about disruptions in the international supply chain and signals possible obstacles for China’s AI development ambitions.

According to the document dated Tuesday, H3C informed clients that existing inventories of the H20 chip are “nearly depleted,” with new shipments only expected around mid-April. The notice blamed geopolitical tensions and raw material disruptions for the uncertainty. It also highlighted challenges in future supply planning beyond April 20 due to changes in shipping routes, production complications, and evolving policy environments.

Shortly after publication, Nvidia declined to comment, and H3C issued a clarification stating that “neither the company nor any of its departments have issued this notice or its related content.” However, industry sources confirmed that the chip is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain.

. AI Boom Driving Surging Demand
Demand for the H20 has sharply risen since January, driven by the popularity of Chinese startup DeepSeek’s cost-efficient AI models. Major Chinese tech giants such as Tencent, Alibaba, and ByteDance have ramped up orders in response, according to previous reporting by Reuters.

An anonymous distributor told Reuters that despite prior assurances about availability, many buyers were ultimately told the chips had already been sold at higher prices. “We were told the chips would be available, but when it came time to actually purchase them, we were informed they had already been sold at higher prices,” the source said.

. Geopolitical Pressures and U.S. Export Controls
The H20 chip was specifically designed by Nvidia to comply with tightened U.S. export restrictions implemented in October 2023. These rules ban the sale of the company’s most powerful chips—such as the A100 and H100—to China over national security concerns. The U.S. believes advanced AI chips could potentially be used to bolster China’s military capabilities.

Despite these restrictions, Nvidia is believed to have shipped around 1 million units of the H20 to China in 2024, generating over $12 billion in revenue.

Washington is also reportedly considering further limitations on even these lower-tier chips, raising the risk of additional constraints on China’s access to cutting-edge AI technologies.

. China’s Response and Domestic Alternatives
H3C is one of Nvidia’s key OEM partners in China, alongside Inspur, Lenovo, and xFusion—a spinoff from Huawei focused on x86 servers. The looming shortage could accelerate China’s efforts to develop and adopt domestic alternatives such as Huawei’s Ascend chips and Cambricon’s AI processors.

H3C’s internal communication reportedly emphasized a “profit-first” distribution model for upcoming chip deliveries, favoring long-term, high-margin customers. This signals that the chip shortage could hit smaller AI startups and new entrants the hardest, potentially reshaping China’s fast-evolving AI ecosystem.

Alibaba to Restart Hiring Amid Optimism, Cautions Against AI Investment Bubble in the U.S.

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Alibaba Group Chairman Joe Tsai announced on Tuesday that the tech giant will resume hiring, fueled by increased confidence following a significant meeting between President Xi Jinping and major Chinese tech entrepreneurs in February. Tsai also expressed concerns about large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) investments in the U.S., suggesting they might signal the start of a bubble.

Tsai praised the rare meeting, which included Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma, marking a shift in Beijing’s approach to the tech sector. A regulatory crackdown on the industry several years ago had slowed growth, reduced investment, and led to layoffs. Tsai believes the meeting sent a clear message to the business community: it was time to reinvest and rehire employees.

After a decline in Alibaba’s workforce over the past 12 quarters, Tsai is optimistic that the company has hit rock bottom and plans to start rebuilding. China’s economy has faced several challenges, including slow growth and a real estate debt crisis, leading to job insecurity and weak consumer sentiment. However, Tsai emphasized that hiring would lead to greater job security and income growth, boosting business and consumer confidence.

Tsai also highlighted the success of DeepSeek, a Chinese startup disrupting the AI sector with affordable models, which has helped restore confidence in China’s tech industry. This success, alongside Alibaba’s significant investments in AI, will likely drive the need for more hiring in the sector.

While Alibaba is investing heavily in AI, Tsai expressed concern about the massive investments happening in the U.S. He referred to large investment figures, such as $500 billion, as unnecessary, suggesting that investments are being made ahead of actual demand. Tsai specifically voiced worries about speculative data center construction, seeing signs of a potential bubble in the U.S. market.

In comparison, Alibaba plans to invest 380 billion yuan ($52 billion) in its cloud computing and AI infrastructure over the next three years. The positive sentiment around China’s tech sector, boosted by Xi’s meeting and the success of companies like DeepSeek, has contributed to a 24% rise in Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Tech Index this year.

Meituan to Invest “Billions” in AI Chips, Joining China’s AI Spending Surge

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Meituan, China’s leading food delivery company, has announced plans to invest “billions” in chips for training artificial intelligence (AI) models, according to CEO Wang Xing during the company’s post-earnings call on Friday. This move aligns with the growing trend of significant AI investments by China’s tech giants.

The announcement comes as the company seeks to bolster its capabilities in AI, a sector rapidly gaining traction across industries. Meituan’s investment is part of a larger wave of funding within the tech sector, with companies like Alibaba also ramping up their AI-related expenditures. In February, Alibaba revealed plans to allocate at least 380 billion yuan toward cloud computing and AI infrastructure over the next three years.

These investments underscore the increasing competition in China’s tech industry as firms race to develop the next generation of AI technologies. Meituan’s focus on AI chip development signals its commitment to maintaining its leadership in food delivery and expanding into other AI-driven sectors.