Taiwan charges nine over alleged illegal AI server exports to China

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwanese prosecutors have charged nine people over the alleged illegal export of high-end artificial intelligence servers to mainland China, including employees linked to Nvidia and Super Micro.

The case highlights growing concerns over the movement of advanced AI technology as Taiwan, China and the United States remain locked in an increasingly intense technology rivalry.

Prosecutors said the defendants were involved in shipments of powerful AI servers containing B300 graphics processing units to China despite export restrictions.

Among those charged are two former Super Micro employees and an Nvidia manager identified by prosecutors only by his family name, Chang.

Authorities said 74 servers successfully reached China through a network of international routes. Fifty were shipped through Indonesia, 16 went directly to China and eight were sent first to Japan before moving through Hong Kong.

A separate shipment involving 56 servers was stopped, with the equipment remaining in Taiwan.

Investigators allege that some of the defendants established a company in Japan to help move the restricted technology. Others allegedly created fake websites and supplied false information in an effort to bypass export controls.

The restrictions are part of wider efforts to prevent advanced computing technology from reaching China.

Washington has tightened controls on the export of sophisticated AI chips to China in recent years, putting additional scrutiny on the servers and computing infrastructure needed to operate advanced AI systems.

Taiwanese prosecutors said sales of high-end AI servers require strict review and that large orders can trigger on-site inspections of customers.

Nvidia said it is cooperating with Taiwanese authorities as the allegations are investigated.

Super Micro also said it had cooperated with the authorities and would continue strengthening its export-compliance procedures.

Prosecutors are seeking sentences of up to five years for four of the defendants. They described Chang as a key figure who allegedly authorized the release of the restricted B300 GPUs.

The investigation underscores the growing challenge facing governments trying to prevent sensitive AI technology from reaching restricted markets.

Taiwan’s position at the heart of the global semiconductor industry makes enforcement of technology export rules particularly important as governments increasingly treat advanced chips and AI infrastructure as strategic assets.

The defendants have been charged but have not been convicted.