Nvidia takes aim at Anthropic’s support of chip export controls

Nvidia clearly doesn’t agree with Anthropic’s support for export controls on U.S.-made AI chips.

On Wednesday, Anthropic doubled down on its support for the U.S. Department of Commerce’s “Framework for Artificial Intelligence Diffusion,” which would impose sweeping AI chip export restrictions starting May 15.

The next day, Nvidia responded with a very different take on the upcoming controls.

“American firms should focus on innovation and rise to the challenge, rather than tell tall tales that large, heavy, and sensitive electronics are somehow smuggled in ‘baby bumps’ or ‘alongside live lobsters,’” a spokesperson for Nvidia told CNBC, in reference to Anthropic’s claims of how these AI chips are being smuggled into countries targeted by the U.S. controls, like China.

In a statement to TechCrunch, an Nvidia spokesperson added that “China, with half of the world’s AI researchers, has highly capable AI experts at every layer of the AI stack. America cannot manipulate regulators to capture victory in AI.”

Export restrictions would hurt Nvidia’s global revenue stream. Nvidia recently stated that a new licensing requirement for its H20 AI chips to be sold in China could cost the company $5.5 billion in Q1 of its 2026 fiscal year.

This piece has been updated to include additional commentary from Nvidia.