Huawei is intensifying its competition with Nvidia in the AI chipset market, despite ongoing U.S. restrictions. The Chinese tech giant is expected to unveil its new AI chip, the Ascend 910C, next month, positioning it as a strong alternative to Nvidia's B20 and a potential competitor to the H100 chip.
The Ascend 910C is designed to enhance China's AI technology capabilities, filling gaps left by foreign export controls that limit access to advanced chipmaking equipment. Previously, Huawei's Ascend 910B reportedly outperformed Nvidia's A100 chips by 20%, achieving 80% of the A100's efficiency for training large language models.
As U.S. sanctions have restricted Nvidia from selling high-end chips in China, the company has resorted to offering lower-efficiency AI chips, which have not met the needs of industrial users. In this context, Huawei's upcoming Ascend 910C could provide a much-needed solution in the Chinese market.
Interestingly, Huawei credits the U.S. ban for its advancements in AI technology, citing it as a catalyst for self-reliance in semiconductor development. Since being blacklisted in 2019, Huawei has pivoted to innovative solutions that rely less on U.S. components, although challenges in production remain.
With a renewed focus on creativity and efficiency, Huawei aims to overcome these hurdles and solidify its position in the AI chipset landscape.