The US Department of Justice has launched a large-scale antitrust investigation against Nvidia, a leading manufacturer of artificial intelligence chips. The investigation, which began in June, focuses on possible antitrust violations that could arise from Nvidia's dominant market position. This is reported by the Bloomberg agency.

As part of this investigation, the Department of Justice issued subpoenas to Nvidia and other market participants to find out whether the company is restricting the ability of customers to switch to other suppliers. Regulators have expressed concern that Nvidia could create artificial barriers for customers who want to use products from other manufacturers, and possibly even penalize those who do not exclusively use its chips.

One aspect of the investigation is Nvidia's acquisition of RunAI, a company specializing in cloud platforms for artificial intelligence. The takeover raises questions about a possible restriction of competition in the market, as it may become more difficult for customers to switch to chips from other manufacturers once RunAI is integrated into Nvidia's products.

In addition, regulators are looking into whether Nvidia offers special terms or discounts to customers who agree to use only its technology or buy complete systems that include its chips. Such actions can contribute to maintaining the monopoly position of the company in the market.

Nvidia's significant regulatory attention is a result of the company's ability to transform itself into a leader in artificial intelligence chips thanks to the industry's rapid growth. Nvidia's sales continue to grow, and the company has already outperformed traditional giants like Intel.

Nvidia, for its part, denies any wrongdoing and claims that its success in the market is due exclusively to high-quality products that provide the best performance compared to competitors. However, the investigation by the US Department of Justice is ongoing, and its results could significantly affect the future fate of the company and the market for artificial intelligence chips in general.