AMD succeeds where Nvidia failed with MI308 China export approval
AMD receives US approval to ship its Instinct MI308 GPUs to China
AMD has confirmed that it has received “some” export licenses that will allow it to ship Instinct MI308 AI accelerators to China. As many are aware, exports of US-made AI accelerators to China are currently restricted. This prevents companies from shipping their strongest AI accelerators to the country. This is also why China has an exclusive version of Nvidia’s RTX 5090, the RTX 5090 D.
Currently, the newest Nvidia chip that can be exported to China is its H20 accelerator. Nvidia is currently trying to get approval to ship newer Blackwell-based AI accelerators to China, with no success. This makes AMD’s approval for its MI308 chips a significant success for the company, as it grants them a competitive advantage in the market. However, it remains to be seen how well AMD’s AI accelerators will perform in the Chinese market.
AMD has confirmed that it has not included revenue from its MI308 sales to China in its Q4 2025 revenue forecast. This is due to the “dynamic situation” in China, as it remains to be seen if China will accept AMD’s MI308 exports.
So look, it’s still a pretty dynamic situation with MI308. So that’s the reason that we did not include any MI308 revenue in the Q4 guide. We have received some licenses for MI308, so we’re appreciative of the administration supporting some licenses for MI308. We’re still working with our customers on the demand environment and sort of what the overall opportunity is. And so we’ll be able to update that more in the next couple of months.
– AMD CEO Lisa Su – Q3 Earnings Transcript – via Seeking Alpha
An advantage for AMD, but the situation could change quickly
Right now, China is hostile towards Nvidia. Authorities have advised Chinese companies to refrain from using Nvidia’s hardware. This is part of an effort to loosen the US’ export restrictions. Furthermore, it is an effort to boost China’s tech sector. Currently, Nvidia’s AI hardware imports are effectively banned in China. While AMD does not face the same hostility, that situation could change quickly.
China’s AI market is a political minefield. While AMD seems to avoid the issues that Nvidia faces, that situation could change fast. China wants to prioritise domestic chip production. If China wants to, it could discourage companies from investing in AMD’s hardware, effectively banning it from the market. There’s a reason why AMD won’t include expected MI308 revenues in its Q4 2025 revenue forecast.
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