(Bloomberg) — Nvidia Corp. added hundreds of employees in China this year to strengthen its research capabilities and focus on new autonomous driving technologies.
Most read on Bloomberg
The world’s second-most valuable company will end the year with about 4,000 people, up from just 3,000 at the start of 2024, sources familiar with its operations said. As a key part of that expansion, Nvdia added about 200 people in Beijing to bolster a team of researchers working on autonomous driving, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the information is confidential. The U.S. company has also expanded its after-sales service and networking software development teams, a source said.
Nvidia, based in Santa Clara, California, is increasing its workforce globally to meet growing demand for its artificial intelligence chips. China, subject to American trade restrictions which prevent Nvidia from selling its most advanced semiconductors there, still achieved a turnover of 5.4 billion dollars during the September quarter. The country remains an important market and research center for the American chip designer.
While Nvidia has sought to maintain good relations with Beijing, the local antitrust regulator this week announced an investigation into Nvidia’s 2020 takeover of Mellanox, which authorities had conditionally approved earlier. The investigation began just weeks after CEO Jensen Huang highlighted China’s contributions to technology during a trip to Hong Kong.
Company representatives declined to comment.
The investigation, which could result in a fine or demands for corrective action, is seen as likely part of the growing trade conflict between the United States and China. US President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose more tariffs on goods from China, while Beijing announced an export ban on key materials.
Beijing’s support for domestic electric vehicle makers has given it a leading position in pioneering electric vehicle technologies and helped drive down prices for a new generation of connected cars. Nvidia has been developing driving automation and AI software for over a decade, although its efforts have yet to bear fruit. The company’s China-based researchers would be well-positioned to work with local automakers who are seeking such technologies to improve their offerings.
As of February, Nvidia had 29,600 employees in 36 countries, the company said in a statement. In China, the company has grown over the past two years to nearly 600 people in Beijing and recently opened a new office in the Zhongguancun technology hub, according to the sources.