Nvidia’s plans to export its H200 AI chips to China remain pending nearly two months after US President Donald Trump approved. A national security review is still underway before licences can be issued to Chinese customers.
Chinese companies have delayed new H200 orders while awaiting clarity on licence approvals and potential conditions, according to people familiar with the discussions. The uncertainty has slowed anticipated demand and affected production planning across Nvidia’s supply chain.
In January, the US Commerce Department eased H200 export restrictions to China but required licence applications to be reviewed by the departments of State, Defence, and Energy.
Commerce has completed its analysis, but inter-agency discussions continue, with the US State Department seeking additional safeguards.
The export framework, which also applies to AMD, introduces conditions related to shipment allocation, testing, and end-use reporting. Until the review process concludes, Nvidia and prospective Chinese buyers remain unable to proceed with confirmed transactions.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Europe is stepping up efforts to industrialise quantum technologies with a €50 million investment in superconducting quantum devices. Funding from the EU Chips Joint Undertaking and national agencies will support the Supreme consortium’s work from early 2026.
Superconducting quantum systems rely on ultra-low temperatures to maintain qubit stability, making manufacturing processes complex and costly. Supreme aims to develop reliable fabrication methods that can be scaled across Europe.
Access to these technologies will be opened to companies through shared pilot production runs and process design kits. Such tools are intended to lower barriers for firms developing quantum hardware and related systems.
The initiative also responds to Europe’s weaker performance in quantum patents compared with research output. Alignment with the upcoming Quantum Act and the EU Chips Act is expected to strengthen commercial uptake and industrial competitiveness.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Web Summit Qatar is underway in Doha, drawing startups, investors, and technology leaders to discuss emerging trends shaping the global digital economy. Early sessions featured startup pitches, investor meetings, and discussions on AI, quantum technologies, and the creator economy.
More than 1,600 startups are taking part, with around 85% arriving from outside Qatar, joined by nearly 1,000 investors. Funds such as Amino Capital, Greycroft, and 500 Global are scouting opportunities, as journalists cover debates on tech geopolitics and innovation policy.
Germany is marking its strongest showing to date, bringing more than 200 startups, investors, and decision-makers. The German Pavilion showcases AI, cybersecurity, deep tech, and industrial innovation, highlighting plans to deepen cooperation with regional partners.
Beyond visibility, the summit emphasises partnerships, market entry, and long-term collaboration. Organisers and participants point to growing ties between Germany and Qatar as both countries seek to deepen cooperation across advanced technology and innovation ecosystems.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
India has unveiled a plan to offer foreign cloud providers zero taxes on revenues from services sold abroad if workloads are run from Indian data centres until 2047. The move aims to attract AI investment despite power and water shortages.
Major US tech companies, including Google, Microsoft and Amazon, have pledged billions of dollars to expand AI-focused data centres in India. Domestic operators are also increasing capacity, with large projects announced in Andhra Pradesh and other states.
The government has boosted incentives for electronics and semiconductor manufacturing, critical minerals, and cross-border e-commerce. These measures aim to integrate India more deeply into global technology supply chains.
Analysts warn that execution risks remain, including energy shortages, land access and regulatory hurdles. Observers say the tax holiday and incentives reflect a strategic bet on establishing India as a global hub for AI and cloud computing.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
A proposal filed with the US Federal Communications Commission seeks approval for a constellation of up to one million solar-powered satellites designed to function as orbiting data centres for artificial intelligence computing, according to documents submitted by SpaceX.
The company described the network as an efficient response to growing global demand for AI processing power, positioning space-based infrastructure as a new frontier for large-scale computation.
In its filing, SpaceX framed the project in broader civilisational terms, suggesting the constellation could support humanity’s transition towards harnessing the Sun’s full energy output and enable long-term multi-planetary development.
Regulators are unlikely to approve the full scale immediately, with analysts viewing the figure as a negotiating position. The USFCC recently authorised thousands of additional Starlink satellites while delaying approval for a larger proposed expansion.
Concerns continue to grow over orbital congestion, space debris, and environmental impacts, as satellite numbers rise sharply and rival companies seek similar regulatory extensions.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The UK and Bulgaria are expanding cooperation on semiconductor technology to strengthen supply chains and support Europe’s growing need for advanced materials.
A partnership that links British expertise with the ambitions of Bulgaria under the EU Chips Act 2023, creating opportunities for investment, innovation and skills development.
The Science and Technology Network has acted as a bridge between both countries by bringing together government, industry and academia. A high-level roundtable in Sofia, a study visit to Scotland and a trade mission to Bulgaria encouraged firms and institutions to explore new partnerships.
These exchanges helped shape joint projects and paved the way for shared training programmes.
Several concrete outcomes have followed. A €350 million Green Silicon Carbide wafer factory is moving ahead, supported by significant UK export wins.
Universities in Glasgow and Sofia have signed a research memorandum, while TechWorks UK and Bulgaria’s BASEL have agreed on an industry partnership. The next phase is expected to focus on launching the new factory, deepening research cooperation and expanding skills initiatives.
Bulgaria’s fast-growing electronics and automotive sectors have strengthened its position as a key European manufacturing hub. The country produces most sensors used in European cars and hosts modern research centres and smart factories.
The combined effect of the EU funding, national investment and international collaboration is helping Bulgaria secure a prominent role in Europe’s semiconductor supply chain.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The reported approval follows earlier developments in which ByteDance, Alibaba and Tencent were allowed to purchase more than 400,000 H200 chips in total, suggesting Beijing is moving from broad caution to selective, case-by-case permissions. Separate coverage has described the approvals as a shift after weeks of uncertainty over whether China would allow imports, even as US export licensing was moving forward.
Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang, speaking in Taipei, said the company had not received confirmation of DeepSeek’s clearance and indicated the licensing process is still being finalised, underscoring the uncertainty for suppliers and buyers. China’s industry and commerce ministries have been involved in approvals, with conditions reportedly shaped by the state planner, the National Development and Reform Commission.
The H200 has become a high-stakes flashpoint in US-China tech ties because access to top-tier chips directly affects AI capability and competitiveness. US political scrutiny is also rising: a senior US lawmaker has alleged Nvidia provided technical support that helped DeepSeek develop advanced models later used by China’s military, according to a letter published by the House Select Committee on China; Nvidia has pushed back against such claims in subsequent reporting.
DeepSeek is also preparing a next-generation model, V4, expected in mid-February, according to reporting that cited people familiar with the matter, which makes access to high-end compute especially consequential for timelines and performance.
Why does it matter?
If China’s conditional approvals translate into real shipments, they could ease a key bottleneck for Chinese AI development while extending Nvidia’s footprint in a market constrained by geopolitics. At the same time, the episode highlights how AI hardware is now regulated not only by Washington’s export controls but also by Beijing’s import approvals, with companies caught between shifting policy priorities.
A coalition of researchers and experts has identified future research directions aimed at enhancing AI safety, robustness and quality as systems are increasingly integrated into critical functions.
The work highlights the need for improved tools to evaluate, verify and monitor AI behaviour across diverse real-world contexts, including methods to detect harmful outputs, mitigate bias and ensure consistent performance under uncertainty.
The discussion emphasises that technical quality attributes such as reliability, explainability, fairness and alignment with human values should be core areas of focus, especially for high-stakes applications in healthcare, transport, finance and public services.
Researchers advocate for interdisciplinary approaches, combining insights from computer science, ethics, and the social sciences to address systemic risks and to design governance frameworks that balance innovation with public trust.
The article also notes emerging strategies such as formal verification techniques, benchmarks for robustness and continuous post-deployment auditing, which could help contain unintended consequences and improve the safety of AI models before and after deployment at scale.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Amazon is implementing a major round of job cuts while investing more heavily in AI and cloud infrastructure. The latest announcement brings planned reductions to roughly 30,000 roles across corporate teams worldwide.
Senior vice president Beth Galetti said the layoffs aim to reduce management layers, speed up decision-making, and remove organisational bureaucracy. Media reports suggest the cuts represent close to 10 percent of Amazon’s global office workforce, while warehouse and logistics roles remain unaffected.
No specific divisions were named, with the company stating that each team will continue reviewing capacity and operational efficiency. Amazon previously reported spending $1.8 billion on severance linked to restructuring efforts, with full-year financial results due in early February.
The reductions mirror a broader trend across big tech, with Microsoft, Meta, ASML, HP, and Oracle also trimming white-collar management roles. Executives across the sector have framed the changes as cultural and structural rather than budget-driven.
At the same time, Amazon is boosting AI, cloud, and chip investments through AWS, including over $35 billion in data centre expansion in India amid rising competition.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The pace of the AI infrastructure boom continues to accelerate, with semiconductor supply chains signalling sustained long-term demand.
NVIDIA remains the most visible beneficiary as data centre investment drives record GPU purchases, yet supplier activity further upstream suggests confidence extends well beyond a single company.
ASML, the Dutch firm that exclusively supplies extreme ultraviolet lithography equipment, has emerged as a critical indicator of future chip production.
Its machines are essential for advanced semiconductor manufacturing, meaning strong performance reflects expectations of high chip volumes across the industry rather than short-term speculation. Quarterly earnings underline that momentum.
ASML reported €32.7 billion in net sales, while new bookings reached a record €13 billion, more than double the previous quarter.
New orders reflect how much capacity manufacturers expect to need, pointing to sustained expansion driven by anticipated AI workloads.
Company leadership attributed the surge directly to AI-related demand, with customers expressing growing confidence in the durability of data centre investment.
While order fulfilment will take years and some plans may change, industry signals suggest a slowdown in AI infrastructure spending is not imminent.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
