Forensic analysis uncovered distinct hardware signatures by recovering initial values from six Chinese frontier AI models and matching them to physical Blackwell configurations. Systems such as DeepSeek-V4-Flash and MiniMax-M3 matched B200 or B300 processors, while others aligned with GB200 or GB300 chips. The hardware transition appears selective, as competitors including Alibaba, Tencent, and Xiaomi continue to release systems exhibiting older Hopper generation patterns. Although the forensic data confirms the use of advanced chips, it does not prove formal export control violations.
Key points
Technical analysis of published model weights provides direct verification of Chinese acc…: Technical analysis of published model weights provides direct verification of Chinese access to export-controlled Blackwell hardware rather than relying on leaks.
The forensic evidence demonstrates that the transition to Blackwell chips is recent and l…: The forensic evidence demonstrates that the transition to Blackwell chips is recent and limited to specific firms rather than widespread across China's tech industry.
The recovered data confirms the use of restricted hardware to generate weights but does n…: The recovered data confirms the use of restricted hardware to generate weights but does not establish physical chip locations or legal compliance status.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Top Chinese Frontier AI Models Carry the Fingerprint of Export-Controlled NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs
Executive Summary
Our forensic analysis of publicly released AI models finds evidence that DeepSeek, Moonshot AI, MiniMax and Ant Group have gained access to NVIDIA’s Blackwell GPUs, despite restrictions on exporting these chips to China, and are using that hardware to create their AI models. Six models released by these companies since April 2026 contain numerical patterns matching Blackwell hardware, whereas earlier models from the same companies match NVIDIA’s older Hopper generation. The findings suggest that several leading Chinese AI developers have begun using Blackwell to train their newest models. U.S. officials and press reports had already alleged that DeepSeek and Moonshot AI were using Blackwell chips, without publishing technical evidence.
The evidence comes entirely from the models’ own published weights, rather than from leaks or insider accounts. We recover traces of the models’ initial values, and then search for the hardware configurations and initial configurations that reproduce them; for DeepSeek-V4-Flash and Kimi K3, we also confirmed the match on physical Blackwell chips. The fingerprint identifies how…
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