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

Huawei Technologies announced plans to introduce two new artificial-intelligence semiconductors in 2027, according to rotating chairman David Wang. These new chips, the 960DT and the Ascend 960PR, will be launched in the first and third quarters of the year, respectively. The company is also developing technology to enable AI chips to work together as part of larger computing systems.

This technology, called UnifiedBus, will allow chips to share information and collaborate more efficiently. Huawei has already integrated 11 semiconductors based on UnifiedBus technology into its large systems, which it calls superclusters and can support up to 1 million AI processors. Additionally, the company has shipped over 1,000 smaller linked systems, known as supernodes, to more than 370 customers.

However, the number of chips that can be connected within a single supernode was not disclosed. Huawei's efforts to build its AI computing business come amid a global competition between the United States and China in developing AI chips, data centers, and software. The U.S. has imposed export controls that limit China's access to advanced computing chips and semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

Chinese companies and policymakers have responded by emphasizing the development of domestic alternatives, such as linking more AI processors together. This approach highlights the importance of quickly exchanging information between chips, which the UnifiedBus technology aims to address. Despite facing well-established market leader Nvidia, Huawei has built a strong developer base with 5,270 active developers, according to Wang.