NVIDIA has issued a statement insisting that its chips do not contain backdoors, kill switches, and malware that could be used to monitor their use. Touching on the issue of backdoors, NVIDIA said that they would only be used by hackers and adversaries with malicious intent. It could also undermine the global digital infrastructure and destroy trust in US technology.
The use of a kill switch system creates permanent defects that are beyond the control of the user and exposes the system to disaster. NVIDIA also supports open and transparent software that helps customers get the most out of their GPUs. Systems such as diagnostics, performance monitoring, and bug reports are included for the user's knowledge and consent.
The statement came after a proposal emerged in the United States that NVIDIA include a backdoor, bug, and kill switch system that could be activated if their GPUs fall into the hands of banned entities. The issue is viewed seriously by China, to the point that NVIDIA representatives were summoned to explain whether the H20 chips used in the country have these features.
Also today, two Chinese nationals were arrested in California, USA for allegedly being involved in a syndicate smuggling artificial intelligence (AI) chips to China. Their company, ALX Solutions, is said to have exported AI chips from the United States to Malaysia and Singapore before being smuggled to China. This activity has been successfully detected and has led to MITI now requiring permits for high-performance AI chips originating from the United States that are in the process of being exported, transferred and transited in Malaysia.