By Foo Yun Chee
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – EU antitrust regulators are asking Nvidia (NASDAQ:) clients if they’ve been supplied reductions to purchase the corporate’s graphics processing unit (GPU) software program merchandise along with its {hardware} as they scrutinise its $700 million bid for Run:ai.
In a questionnaire seen by Reuters, the EU watchdog centered on potential practices that might tighten Nvidia’s grip on GPUs, the place it has a near-monopoly with an 84% market share, far forward of rivals Intel (NASDAQ:) and AMD (NASDAQ:).
GPUs are chips that break down a pc activity into smaller items and course of them collectively. They’re extremely wanted by know-how corporations for his or her information centres, by online game console makers, and even by bitcoin miners.
The European Fee, which acts because the European Union’s competitors enforcer, has beforehand warned that the deal threatens competitors in markets the place the 2 corporations function and has set a Dec. 20 deadline for its preliminary assessment.
“Does a company that offers a bundle of GPU Orchestration Software (ETR:) and hardware/GPU have a competitive advantage?” the Fee doc requested Nvidia clients.
“To your knowledge, have end-users been required or induced (for example, with discounts) to purchase GPU Orchestration Software as a bundle together with software or other hardware?”
Respondents have been additionally requested in regards to the influence of the deal on their enterprise if Nvidia have been to run Run:ai as open-source.
Nvidia was not instantly out there for remark.