Chinese AI startup Moonshot aims to acquire Nvidia Blackwell chips for its next model, Kimi K4, after training its previous model, Kimi K3, on Nvidia hardware despite U.S. export restrictions that prohibit the sale of such cutting-edge processors to China due to national security concerns. Nvidia's Blackwell architecture, the latest and most powerful series, is subject to strict export controls restricting its sale to Chinese entities. While Moonshot trained Kimi K3 using older or alternative chips, the company believes Kimi K4 will require Blackwell's full capabilities to maintain a competitive edge. Since 2022, Washington has tightened restrictions on advanced semiconductors and manufacturing equipment to slow Beijing's progress in military-critical technologies. DeepSeek's breakthrough in early 2025 demonstrated that Chinese AI can rival Western models even with limited access to top Nvidia accelerators, suggesting the gap between Chinese and American AI capabilities may be narrowing. If Moonshot cannot legally obtain Blackwell, it may resort to gray-market channels or rely on stockpiled chips.