Core Viewpoint - Nvidia has developed a chip location technology that can indicate the country in which its AI chips are operating, primarily aimed at preventing smuggling of chips to countries like China, which are under U.S. export restrictions [3][4]. Group 1: Technology Development - Nvidia has demonstrated a new software option to clients that utilizes its GPU's "confidential computing capabilities" to monitor the health and inventory of AI GPU clusters [3]. - The software is designed to track overall chip performance and estimate the geographical location of the chips based on latency measurements during communication with Nvidia servers [3][4]. - This location feature will initially be available on Nvidia's next-generation Blackwell architecture chips, with plans to explore options for earlier generations [3]. Group 2: Regulatory Context - The development of this technology responds to increasing calls from U.S. lawmakers to prevent the smuggling of AI chips to restricted countries like China [4]. - The U.S. Department of Justice has filed criminal lawsuits against groups allegedly involved in smuggling over $160 million worth of Nvidia chips to China, highlighting the urgency of the situation [4][5]. - Concerns have arisen regarding whether Nvidia's products contain "backdoors" that could allow the U.S. to bypass chip security features, prompting inquiries from Chinese cybersecurity regulators [5]. Group 3: Market Implications - The potential release of this technology could impact Nvidia's market strategy, especially in light of recent statements from former President Trump regarding the export of Nvidia's H200 chips to China [5]. - There is skepticism among experts about whether Chinese companies will be allowed to purchase these chips, despite Nvidia's denial of any backdoor issues in their products [5].

2025年12月，全球芯片巨头英伟达传出重磅消息：其自主研发的AI芯片定位验证技术已完成内部私下 演示，该技术将以可选软件形式率先搭载于最新Blackwell架构芯片，通过独特的通信时延分析实现芯 片所属国家定位，精度比肩主流互联网定位服务，剑指日益猖獗的高端AI芯片走私乱象，为全球芯片 出口管控体系增添关键技术屏障。 这一技术的诞生并非偶然，而是全球AI芯片领域监管与走私博弈升级的直接产物。近年来，美国对高 端AI芯片实施严格出口管制，将英伟达H100、A100等顶级产品纳入限售清单，但巨大的市场需求催生 了成熟的走私产业链。据业内估算，仅2025年第二季度，就有价值约10亿美元的被禁英伟达芯片通过东 南亚中转、伪装交易等方式流入中国市场，深圳华强北甚至形成了专门的走私芯片维修地下产业，十几 家企业专注于修复因超负荷运行而故障的高端GPU。这种现状不仅让美国出口管制政策形同虚设，也引 发其政府与国会的强烈关注，推动英伟达加速研发芯片流向追踪技术。 从技术原理来看，该定位功能跳出了传统GPS定位的思维框架，依托英伟达GPU的机密计算能力构建核 心架构。其关键在于捕捉芯片与英伟达官方服务器通信过程中的时延差异— ...