Huawei Technologies takes a new step forward in the field of artificial intelligence with the imminent launch of the chip Ascend 910D, designed to compete directly with Nvidia’s flagship solutions.
The rise of Huawei in the IA chip sector
In recent years, Huawei has consolidated its position as a *campione tecnologico* Chinese, despite the trade restrictions imposed by the United States. The Shenzhen company has demonstrated exceptional resilience, continuing to develop advanced technologies, as evidenced by the recent success of the Mate 60 smartphone, equipped with a locally made processor.
Now Huawei aims at another ambitious goal: launching a processor capable of challenging Nvidia’s H100, currently one of the most requested chips for training advanced artificial intelligence models.
Ascend 910D: characteristics and expectations
According to reports from *Wall Street Journal* sources, Huawei has completed the development of the Ascend 910D chip and is preparing to receive the first batch of samples by the end of May.Â
The new processor represents the latest evolution of the Ascend series, which previously included the 910B and 910C models. The information released indicates that the Ascend 910D aims to surpass the performance of Nvidia’s H100, a milestone that, if achieved, could reshape the balance of the semiconductor market for artificial intelligence.
However, it is important to emphasize that at the moment the development is still in its initial phase. Several technical validation tests will be necessary to certify the capabilities of the new chip before its commercialization.
The geopolitical and technological context
The push by Huawei in the development of the Ascend 910D processor is set within a complex geopolitical context. The United States, under the presidency of Donald Trump, introduced strict restrictions against the Chinese giant almost six years ago, limiting its access to key technologies and components.
Despite these barriers, Huawei has managed to build an increasingly autonomous supply chain, particularly in the semiconductor sector, a field that remains dominated by the United States but sees China as an increasingly determined player.
The success of the Ascend 910D would represent an important signal of China’s ability to reduce technological dependence on the West, even more so in sensitive areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Challenge to Nvidia: possible impact on the market
Nvidia has dominated the AI chip market for years with high-performance products like the H100, widely used by companies and institutions around the world. Credible competition from Huawei could, consequently, have significant repercussions.
In particular:
- Alternative: Chinese companies, constrained by the limited availability of Western technologies, might adopt Huawei chips as a valid alternative.
- Prices: more intense competition could contribute, in the long term, to a reduction in the costs of high-end chips.
- Innovation: the entry of Huawei into the premium segment of AI processors could stimulate a new wave of innovation.
It should be noted, however, that complete technical data is not yet available on the performance of the Ascend 910D compared to the H100, as the new chip still needs to undergo a series of rigorous tests.
Collaborations and initial tests
Informed sources confirm that Huawei has already involved some Chinese tech companies in the preliminary testing phase, to verify the technical feasibility of the chip. This phase will be crucial for identifying any critical issues and refining the product before the official release.
The support of a local industrial ecosystem will be crucial to accelerate the adoption process of the new processors, especially at a historical moment when China is investing significant resources in building a sovereign technological supply chain.
Future prospects for Huawei and the Chinese chip industry
If the Ascend 910D proves to be effectively competitive with the US chips, Huawei would not only strengthen its strategic position, but also give new momentum to China’s efforts to achieve technological self-sufficiency.
The external pressure seems to have paradoxically triggered an acceleration in the development of new local technologies. Furthermore, as Huawei refines production and reduces release times for its most advanced products, opportunities to consolidate alliances with other emerging players in the semiconductor field will increase.
The future of the global chip industry, therefore, could be less exclusively centered on Western companies and more characterized by a global competition on prices, performance, and innovative capacity.
Huawei, with the Ascend 910D, launches an ambitious challenge to the dominance of Nvidia and other silicon giants. It will be the technical tests and market adoption that will determine the success or failure of this technological gamble, which could profoundly redefine the industry’s balance in the near future.Â