Ex-OpenAI Researcher Says Six Chinese AI Models Show Nvidia Blackwell Chip Traces

At a glance

Former OpenAI researcher Will DePue analyzed the internal numerical patterns of Chinese AI models and says they show evidence of Nvidia's latest Blackwell chips, which are subject to US export controls. He says researchers at OpenAI and Anthropic have also checked the method.

Key points

1. 1

   The models analyzed come from Chinese AI companies including DeepSeek, Moonshot AI, MiniMax, and Ant Group.

2. 2

   Six models released since April 2026 show a pattern unique to Blackwell-generation chips.

3. 3

   Earlier models show traces of the older Hopper-generation chips.

4. 4

   He claims the method correctly identified all 24 control models with known hardware.

Why it matters

Whether Chinese companies are using the latest chips despite export controls directly affects AI competition and chip policy.

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