[redacted] is building a massive AI data center in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, that will add one gigawatt of compute capacity — a scale that puts it among the largest data center projects in the world.

The project, first reported by Bloomberg on July 30, 2026, has drawn immediate scrutiny over whether the Chinese AI startup is using NVIDIA Blackwell chips that fall under U.S. export controls designed to limit China's access to advanced AI hardware.

A Reuters report from February 2026 first indicated that [redacted] trained its latest model on Blackwell chips, with a U.S. official confirming the claim. The company has been advertising job openings for data center engineers in the region, with reports of monthly salaries reaching 30,000 RMB for operations and maintenance roles.

The Inner Mongolia facility represents a significant expansion of [redacted]'s computational infrastructure. The region has become a hub for Chinese AI companies seeking cheaper energy and cooler climates for data center operations, though it has also attracted attention from U.S. policymakers monitoring chip smuggling and export control evasion.

The announcement comes amid escalating U.S.-China tensions over AI technology. Washington has progressively tightened restrictions on semiconductor exports to China, while Chinese companies have responded by stockpiling chips and seeking alternative compute sources.

[redacted] did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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