Huawei is preparing to test its newest AI chip, the Ascend 910D, which the company hopes will rival those produced by NVIDIA. A report by the Wall Street Journal stated that the Chinese tech giant is set to receive the first batch of samples of the processor in late May 2025.
In the meantime, the company has approached some domestic tech companies about testing the technical feasibility of the chips, according to people familiar with the matter. It is said that the 910D is still in its early development stages, and a series of tests is necessary to evaluate its performance and prepare it for customer use. This iteration of the Ascend AI processors is hoped to be more powerful than NVIDIA’s H100, which was banned from being sold in China by US authorities in 2022.
This ban was put into place even before the launch of the H100, and is an example of the US’ attempts to limit China’s technological development, especially in terms of advancements for the military. Washington has cut off the country from NVIDIA’s most advanced AI products, which include the company’s flagship B200 chip.
The restrictions placed on the country have forced it to look into developing its own alternatives to US technologies. Like other Chinese companies, Huawei has been working to build high-end chips that are on par with NVIDIA’s products for training AI models. Reuters adds that the tech giant is planning to begin mass shipments of the 910D’s predecessor, the 910C, to customers as soon as next month.
(Source: Reuters)
