Three major Chinese technology companies—ByteDance, Alibaba and Tencent—have reportedly placed orders for more than three million Nvidia RTX PRO 5500 graphics cards, with a combined potential value exceeding $35 billion.
According to a Reuters report published on October 20 and carried by The Indian Express on October 21, the orders reflect growing demand for computing hardware as companies expand their artificial intelligence capabilities.
The reported purchases come amid US restrictions on exports of advanced semiconductor technology to China. These restrictions have limited Chinese companies' access to some of Nvidia's most powerful AI processors, increasing interest in alternative chips that may be available under current export rules.
The RTX PRO 5500 is designed for professional computing workloads rather than the largest data-centre AI systems. However, the cards could help companies run AI models and generate responses, a process commonly known as AI inference.
Supply remains a major challenge. Sources cited by Reuters said Nvidia had warned that it might not be able to fulfil the full volume of orders because demand exceeds planned production capacity. Commercial deliveries are reportedly expected to begin in 2027. The development highlights the growing importance of semiconductors in the global AI race, as technology companies compete to build and operate increasingly capable AI systems.
Why it matters: The reported orders underline how demand for AI computing power is reshaping the semiconductor industry, while export restrictions and manufacturing capacity continue to influence global technology supply chains.
Published: Thursday, 22 October 2026 | 1:10 PM IST