China's Huawei sets 2027 launch for new AI chips as it targets Nvidia

Huawei Technologies announced plans to launch two new artificial-intelligence semiconductors, the 960DT and the Ascend 960PR, in 2027, according to rotating chairman David Wang. The company aims to challenge U.S. chipmaker Nvidia in the AI computing market. To meet the demands of advanced AI programs, which require more processing power than a single chip can provide, Huawei is developing the UnifiedBus technology.

This technology will enable AI chips to share information and work together more efficiently within larger systems. The company has already developed 11 semiconductors based on UnifiedBus technology, and its largest linked systems, called superclusters, can support up to 1 million AI processors. Huawei has already shipped over 1,000 smaller linked systems, known as supernodes, to more than 370 customers.

While the exact number of chips that can be connected within a single supernode remains undisclosed, Huawei emphasizes the importance of chip-to-chip communication for Chinese technology companies seeking alternatives to foreign chips due to U.S. export controls. With 5,270 monthly active developers, Huawei's AI chip ecosystem has a strong developer base to support its hardware and software tools.