An AMD spokesman told Reuters it had received new license requirements that will stop its MI250 artificial intelligence chips from being exported to China but it believes its MI100 chips will not be affected.
Nvidia said U.S. officials told it the new rule "will address the risk that products may be used in, or diverted to, a 'military end use' or 'military end user' in China.".
The logo of technology company Nvidia is seen at its headquarters in Santa Clara, California February 11, 2015.
This is not the first time the U.S. has moved to choke off Chinese firms' supply of chips.
Nvidia said it had booked $400 million in sales of the affected chips this quarter to China that could be lost if firms decide not to buy alternative Nvidia products.
Stacy Rasgon, a financial analyst with Bernstein, said the disclosure signaled that about 10% of Nvidia's data center sales were coming from China and that the hit to sales was likely "manageable" for Nvidia.
Nvidia last week forecast a sharp drop in revenue for the current quarter on the back of a weaker gaming industry. »