Huawei Technologies is preparing to test its latest and most powerful artificial intelligence processor, with the aim of replacing some higher-end products of American chip giant Nvidia, The Wall Street Journal reported.
According to the report, citing individuals familiar with the matter, Huawei has approached several Chinese technology firms to explore the technical feasibility of its new chip, known as the Ascend 910D.
The Chinese company hopes that this latest iteration of its Ascend AI processors will surpass Nvidia’s H100 in performance. It is expected to receive the first batch of samples of the processor as early as late May, the report added.
Meanwhile, media reports on Monday indicated that Huawei plans to commence mass shipments of its advanced 910C artificial intelligence chip to Chinese customers as early as next month.
For years, Huawei and other Chinese firms have faced challenges in matching Nvidia’s dominance in the development of top-end chips for training artificial intelligence models — a process in which data is used to help algorithms learn to make accurate decisions.
In an effort to curb China’s technological advancement, particularly regarding its military capabilities, Washington has restricted China’s access to Nvidia’s most sophisticated AI products, including the flagship B200 chip.
The H100 chip, for instance, was banned from sale in China by United States authorities in 2022, prior to its official launch.
Nvidia declined to comment on the matter, while Huawei did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
