Huawei Tech Readying New AI Chip to Challenge Nvidia in China: Report
China’s Huawei Technologies is set to introduce a new artificial intelligence chip to challenge Nvidia in China over U.S. sanctions, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, citing sources.
Huawei’s latest processor, the Ascend 910C, has been tested by Chinese internet and telecom companies in recent weeks, the report said. Huawei has told potential customers that the chip is comparable to Nvidia’s H100.
Huawei did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
U.S. regulators introduced rules last year that barred Nvidia from selling its high-end chips, including the H100, to Chinese customers, citing national security concerns.
Nvidia then introduced three chips specifically made for China, including the closely watched H20 chips. However, in line with US sanctions, the H20’s processing power was significantly limited compared to the H100 chips.
According to the Journal, Huawei plans to ship its latest chip as early as October.
Companies such as TikTok parent company ByteDance, Baidu and China Mobile want to get their hands on the 910C chips.
Initial negotiations between Huawei and potential customers indicate that orders are likely to exceed 70,000 chips, with a total value of around $2 billion, the report said.
First publication: Aug 14, 2024 | 12:01 AM IST