China's Huawei is developing a new AI chip to compete with NVIDIA — WSJ

Huawei Technologies is working on testing its new and most powerful artificial intelligence processor to date, the Ascend 910D, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The company has already reached out to several Chinese tech firms to test the new chip, testing its technical capabilities. Huawei hopes the new Ascend 910D will outperform NVIDIA's flagship H100 processor. Huawei is reportedly planning to receive the first samples by the end of May.

Meanwhile, Reuters reports that Huawei is preparing to begin mass deliveries of another of its advanced AI chips, the 910C, to Chinese customers next month. This is part of a broader effort by the company and other Chinese manufacturers to compete with American NVIDIA, which has long held the lead in developing top-of-the-line processors for training AI models.

Model training requires processing large amounts of data and high computing power, so NVIDIA's advantage in this area was key. However, amid US efforts to limit China's access to cutting-edge technologies, particularly in the defense sector, Washington has banned the supply of NVIDIA's most advanced products to China, including its B200 chip.

News about new Huawei products indicates China's increased efforts to achieve technological independence in artificial intelligence and reduce dependence on American chips.