July 9, 2026, (Inside AI) — The French competition authority’s investigation into Nvidia Corp over alleged anti-competitive practices is nearing its end, a senior official confirmed on Thursday.
The probe, which has cast a long shadow over the dominant AI chipmaker, was addressed by Umberto Berkani, the authority’s general rapporteur. Speaking to reporters in Paris, he stated:
“We are nearing the end of the investigation.”
Berkani’s brief update signals that the authority is finalizing its findings after months of scrutiny. Nvidia, which commands an estimated 80% of the GPU market for AI workloads, has faced increasing regulatory pressure worldwide.
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The investigation focuses on whether Nvidia abused its market power in the supply of graphics processing units. These chips are essential for training large language models and powering data centers. The authority opened the probe amid concerns that Nvidia’s practices could stifle competition in the rapidly growing AI sector.
Nvidia’s CUDA software ecosystem creates a deep moat. Developers often lock into Nvidia hardware because most AI frameworks are optimized for CUDA. This raises questions about whether the company’s bundling of hardware and software constitutes an unfair advantage.
The French authority raided Nvidia’s offices in September 2023 as part of a broader inquiry into the cloud computing sector. That raid was not explicitly linked to Nvidia but targeted a sector where Nvidia is a key supplier. The current probe, however, is specific to Nvidia’s alleged anti-competitive practices.
What’s at Stake for Nvidia in France
If the authority finds wrongdoing, it can impose fines of up to 10% of Nvidia’s global annual revenue. For a company that reported $60.9 billion in revenue last fiscal year, that could mean a penalty exceeding $6 billion. The authority can also order behavioral remedies, such as mandating changes to licensing or bundling practices.
France has been particularly assertive in regulating tech giants. In 2020, it fined Google €150 million for anti-competitive advertising practices. More recently, it extracted commitments from Meta regarding access to advertising data. A significant fine against Nvidia would reinforce France’s role as a top EU enforcer alongside the European Commission.
The timing is critical. Nvidia’s latest Blackwell architecture chips are rolling out to cloud providers and enterprises. Any remedy that forces Nvidia to decouple CUDA from its hardware or license it to rivals could reshape the AI infrastructure market.
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Competitors like AMD and Intel have struggled to gain traction. AMD’s MI300X chips offer competitive raw performance but lack CUDA’s mature software stack. Intel’s Gaudi accelerators remain niche. A regulatory intervention could level the playing field.
The Global Antitrust Spotlight Intensifies
France’s probe is not isolated. The U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission have reportedly divided oversight of Nvidia, with the DOJ taking the lead on antitrust concerns. The European Commission has also sent questionnaires to Nvidia customers and competitors, though it has not opened a formal investigation.
In China, regulators have scrutinized Nvidia’s Mellanox acquisition conditions. The deal was approved in 2020 with conditions, but compliance reviews continue. Nvidia’s attempts to design China-compliant chips under U.S. export controls add another layer of complexity.
Berkani did not provide a timeline for the final decision. However, his statement suggests the authority’s case team has completed evidence gathering. A statement of objections could follow in weeks, laying out specific charges. Nvidia would then have the right to respond before a final ruling.
Nvidia has consistently denied any wrongdoing. In previous regulatory filings, it argued that the AI chip market is highly competitive and that its success stems from superior products and sustained R&D investment. The company spent $8.7 billion on R&D last year, more than many rivals’ total revenue.
The outcome in France could set a precedent. As AI becomes a strategic priority for nations, governments are wary of overreliance on a single supplier. Nvidia’s chips are now considered critical infrastructure, making regulatory scrutiny inevitable.
For now, the industry awaits the French authority’s next move. A hefty fine or structural remedy would send shockwaves through the AI supply chain. Even a settlement with behavioral commitments could alter Nvidia’s playbook. The investigation’s end marks the beginning of a new, more regulated chapter for the AI chip giant.
