Yazılar

U.S. Secretly Embeds Trackers in AI Chip Shipments to Detect Diversions to China

U.S. authorities have placed hidden location trackers in select shipments of advanced AI chips to monitor potential illegal diversions to China. The tactic, previously unreported, targets high-risk shipments and aims to enforce export restrictions on companies like Nvidia, AMD, Dell, and Super Micro. Trackers are embedded in packaging and sometimes inside the servers themselves, enabling investigators to track products and build cases against violators. The Department of Commerce, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations may all be involved. While U.S. officials see it as a law enforcement tool, Chinese authorities have criticized such measures as attempts to control technology access.

CoreWeave Shares Fall Despite Strong AI Demand as Losses Mount

Shares of CoreWeave, the Nvidia-backed AI infrastructure firm, dropped 11% after the company reported a larger-than-expected loss for Q2. Operating expenses surged nearly fourfold to $1.19 billion, highlighting tension between rapid revenue growth and rising financial strain.

Analysts expressed concern over CoreWeave’s heavy reliance on key customers, such as OpenAI, and questioned its ability to grow profitably given widening losses, high capital needs, and deteriorating debt coverage. The company, which went public in March, had about $8 billion in debt last year and planned to use roughly $1 billion of IPO proceeds for debt repayment.

With the IPO lock-up period expiring soon, analysts expect volatility as insiders can sell shares for the first time. CoreWeave operates 33 AI data centers in the U.S. and Europe, providing access to Nvidia GPUs. Despite losses, surging demand helped the firm beat quarterly revenue estimates, and its stock has nearly tripled since its IPO.

Trump’s Nvidia Deal Sparks Corporate and National Security Concerns

U.S. President Donald Trump has created a highly unusual precedent by allowing Nvidia (NVDA.O) and AMD (AMD.O) to resume AI chip exports to China in exchange for a 15% revenue cut to the U.S. government, raising questions about corporate risk and national security.

KEY DETAILS

  • Historically, U.S. export controls on sensitive technologies were non-negotiable, meaning companies could not circumvent restrictions through payments.

  • Trump’s move reverses a prior ban on H20 chips and suggests a potential future sale of scaled-down Blackwell chips to China.

  • The administration claims the national security risks are minimal, noting the H20 is Nvidia’s “fourth-best chip” and widely available in China.

REACTIONS FROM LAWMAKERS AND EXPERTS

  • Bipartisan U.S. lawmakers expressed concern about creating a “pay-for-play” framework for sensitive technology exports.

    • Rep. John Moolenaar: “Export controls are a frontline defense in protecting our national security.”

    • Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi: “Putting a price on our security concerns signals that national security principles are negotiable.”

  • Legal experts question the arrangement’s legality, debating whether it constitutes an export tax, which the U.S. Constitution prohibits.

  • Analysts warn it could pressure chipmakers’ margins and create a precedent for taxing strategic U.S. exports to China.

CORPORATE IMPLICATIONS

  • Nvidia confirmed compliance with U.S. export rules but did not detail the revenue-sharing mechanism.

  • AMD noted approval for chip exports but also did not clarify financial terms.

  • Analysts predict the 15% remittance could reduce margins for China-bound processors by 5–15 percentage points, impacting overall profitability.

CONCLUSION
Trump’s intervention marks a rare case of direct government influence on corporate exports, blending national security policy with financial leverage. Observers warn it could reshape how U.S. companies approach sales of sensitive technology in global markets.