A media storm erupted after claims from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang that “China is going to win the AI race” circulated following a high-level, closed-door gathering in Taipei with major Asian tech leaders and U.S. investors. Here’s what’s real—and what was clarified

🔎 Fact Check & Key PointsThe Quote: Huang did say, “China is going to win the AI race,” referencing China’s vast scale (with over 1 million AI workers vs. 20,000 in Silicon Valley) and lower AI infrastructure costs.

Clarification: Within 24 hours, Nvidia officially clarified that Huang believes China is still “nanoseconds behind America in AI.” His message: the U.S. must act fast, invest in developers, and stay “just ahead”—but the race is extremely close, and policies blocking Nvidia from China could backfire, costing the U.S. leadership in AI.

Motivation: Some observers say the leaks were a strategic play: pressure Washington to rethink export bans while signaling Nvidia’s market power and balancing global partnerships.

🧼 Calculation & Reality Check

AI Workforce Estimate:

China: ~1,000,000 AI developers (source: Huang’s remarks/leak)ïżœ

Silicon Valley: ~20,000 full-time AI engineers.

Ratio: For every 1 SV AI pro, China may have 50—but this is a broad estimate and the quality, not just quantity, of talent also matters.

AI Compute: Huang reportedly warned that by 2027, China will have more AI computing power than the rest of the world combined if trends continueïżœïżœ.

🌏 Market & News Update

Nvidia Stock: Shares saw volatility after the remarks, but the company remains highly valued amid global AI investmentïżœ.

Geopolitics: U.S.–China AI competition is increasing. The U.S. continues to restrict advanced chip exports to China even as domestic U.S. AI policy is under debateïżœïżœ.

Strategic Position: Both U.S. and China are still at the global cutting edge, with neither side a clear winner—but the gap is narrowïżœïżœ