Nvidia (NVDA, Financial) aims to establish a research and development center in Shanghai to maintain its competitive edge in China, as U.S. export restrictions have impacted its sales there. Nvidia's CEO, Jensen Huang, discussed this plan with Shanghai's mayor, receiving preliminary support from the city government. Nvidia is also seeking approval from the U.S. government.
The company already employs around 2,000 staff in Shanghai, primarily in sales, and is leasing new office space to accommodate current staff and expansion plans. The new R&D center will cater to Chinese customers' specific needs and comply with complex U.S. regulatory requirements. However, core design and production will remain outside China to avoid intellectual property transfer issues.
The Shanghai team will also participate in global projects, such as chip design verification, product optimization, and autonomous driving research. Nvidia is actively recruiting to attract top Chinese AI talent, with roles focused on guiding next-generation deep learning hardware and software development, as well as ASIC design and optimization.
