The chip manufacturer Nvidia might be one of the most valuable companies in history for now, but that could change in a heartbeat.

In a recent appearance on the podcast “BG2,” Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang agonized that China is now “nanoseconds behind” US chipmakers, the companies building the hardware undergirding the multi-billion dollar AI boom.

Just weeks ago, China’s internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) announced a ban on large Chinese tech firms purchasing Nvidia chips. The ban follows a broader effort by Chinese lawmakers to lessen dependency on foreign companies and promote domestic manufacturing — a similar goal to the worker-led “Keep it Made in America” movement of 2009.

For Huang, the loss of Chinese buyers is a major threat. Not only is Nvidia losing

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