Senator Warren invites Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to Senate hearing on China AI chip sales

Key Points

• Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has invited Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to testify before the Senate Banking Committee on June 11 regarding the chipmaker's China business and U.S. export controls.
• CNBC is the first to report the invitation to Huang.
• Nvidia's AI chips power many of the world's leading data centers, placing the company at the center of the AI boom and making it a major target in Washington's debate over China export controls.
• The hearing would give senators a rare opportunity to question Huang directly, just weeks after he accompanied President Donald Trump to China for a high-stakes summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

BEIJING, CHINA — MAY 14: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang waves as he prepares to depart the Great Hall of the People on May 14, 2026, in Beijing, China.

Alex Wong | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has been invited to testify before the Senate Banking Committee on June 11 as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) intensifies her scrutiny of the chipmaker's China sales, export controls, and its central role in the global AI boom.

"Appearing as a witness will give you an opportunity to testify about NVIDIA's views on U.S. export control laws and regulations and NVIDIA's business in China," Warren wrote in a letter first obtained by CNBC. She asked Huang to confirm his attendance by Monday.

Nvidia's chips power many of the data centers behind advanced AI models, making the company one of the biggest beneficiaries of the artificial intelligence surge. However, that dominance has also attracted growing attention from lawmakers and national security officials who warn that advanced U.S. chips could be used by China to strengthen its military and surveillance capabilities.

Both the Biden and Trump administrations have moved to restrict China's access to advanced AI chips, while Nvidia has argued that overly broad restrictions could damage U.S. competitiveness and push customers toward foreign alternatives.

The Senate push coincides with a separate effort by Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, who are calling for an investigation into what they describe as China's efforts to impede U.S. AI and data-center development.

Warren previewed her concerns Wednesday on CNBC's "Squawk Box," stating she is worried that U.S. companies are profiting from technology sales that could weaken U.S. security.

"The Chinese, in effect, buy our stuff, and American companies make a profit doing that," Warren said. "But it certainly undermines our long-term security."

She noted that the concern is especially acute because the chips in question are "not just chips to help the AI industry."