Key Takeaways
- Mass shipment of Huawei’s GPUs 910C is expected to begin by the end this month.
- According to reports, the 910C is as fast as Nvidia H100 and uses two 910B CPUs.
- Ascend’s latest 910D chips are also being tested.
Huaweiās 910C GPU may start mass shipments by the end of May. The 910C chip can be described as more of an architectural breakthrough than a technological victory. It combines two 910B processors to achieve double its predecessorās computing power and memory capacity.
More interestingly, and something that should be concerning for the US, is that the 910C claims to achieve the same level of performance as Nvidiaās H100, which came out in 2022.
The US has now, for years, been trying to restrict the access of AI-ready chips to China through various restrictions. The H100 is also banned from export to China. However, it has taken China just three years to catch up with Nvidia.
You can argue that China is still three years behind the US. However, itās important to understand that the difference is closing down rather rapidly, and China is not too far behind. The USās bans have only boosted domestic production of AI chips in China, with companies like Huawei, Moore Threads, and Iluvatar CoreX at the forefront of innovation.
Whatās more, China is already testing the new Ascend 910D chip, which will reportedly be more powerful than the H100. So, Americaās plan to cut China off from the AI race doesnāt look like itās working. If anything, itās motivating Chinese firms to accelerate growth in the semiconductor industry.
The US May Have Dug Itself a Hole
The Biden-sanctioned AI Diffusion Rule will be in force on May 15, 2019. This will restrict the exportation of advanced AI chips around the world, by dividing them up into different tiers.
While the US and its allies have exclusive access to AI tech, countries such as China are banned from importing these chips. Other countries in Tier 2 will be limited to importing these chips to a certain amount. This was done to prevent China from obtaining AI chips made in the US. The US may have created a huge problem for itself by doing this.
In addition to directly restricting China’s exports, the rule also sets caps on other countries the US suspects of exporting these chips to China. This is an indirect export restriction. It’s easy to see how this could be counterproductive.
China can now produce AI chips comparable to those produced by Nvidia. Therefore, countries that need them will import them instead of the US. This has not only destroyed the US companies’ huge Chinese market, but also their other global markets. Imagine a world where there were no restrictions and the global market was able to choose freely between advanced chips made by Nvidia, AMD and Chinese companies. Nvidia would have been the choice of buyers who wanted a high-quality chip, while AMD was the choice for those on a budget.
But now that there are strict restrictions as to who can buy what, these countries have no choice but go for Huawei’s (or other Chinese manufacturer’s chips), which opens up a whole new marketplace for China.
China could have had its AI growth restricted by fair competition, as the US tech giants lead in terms of technology access and innovation.
Chinese Cars & DeepSeek
It’s not necessary to look far behind in order to see what China can do. In the last five years, China has seen a tremendous growth in the automatic car segment. BYD Seal, for example, is often compared with the Tesla Model 3 because it can go from zero to 100 km/hr in just 3.8 second.
The NIO ET7/ET5 are also comparable to the Tesla Model S and Model 3 with a range up to 1,000 km, and autonomous driving features. DeepSeek is a great example. China developed an AI model that was as good as ChatGPT or Gemini for an incredibly low price. Simply put, China doesn’t procrastinate when it comes to innovation.
It is therefore a question of whether the US can ‘afford to’ cut China off from the AI-tech race. All of the above points suggest otherwise.
China will soon develop its own version of Nvidia Blackwell architecture, and its B100/B200 AI chips. China, unlike the US will not close its markets to the rest of the world. This means that China can become the next superpower in AI chips. This would be a major blow to the US.
Krishi is a seasoned tech journalist with over four years of experience writing about PC hardware, consumer technology, and artificial intelligence.Ā Clarity and accessibility are at the core of Krishiās writing style. He believes technology writing should empower readersānot confuse themāand heās committed to ensuring his content is always easy to understand without sacrificing accuracy or depth. Over the years, Krishi has contributed to some of the most reputable names in the industry, including Techopedia, TechRadar, and Tomās Guide.Ā A man of many talents, Krishi has also proven his mettle as a crypto writer, tackling complex topics with both ease and zeal. His work spans various formatsāfrom in-depth explainers and news coverage to feature pieces and buying guides.Ā Behind the scenes, Krishi operates from a dual-monitor setup (including a 29-inch LG UltraWide) thatās always buzzing with news feeds, technical documentation, and research notes, as well as the occasional gaming sessions that keep him fresh.Ā Krishi thrives on staying current, always ready to dive into the latest announcements, industry shifts, and their far-reaching impacts.Ā When he’s not deep into research on the latest PC hardware news, Krishi would love to chat with you about day trading and the financial marketsāoh! And cricket, as well.
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