Huawei is gearing up to launch its latest AI accelerator, the Ascend 910C, which is now in production. As we delve deeper into its specifications, it’s clear that the Ascend 910C is poised to make a significant impact.
### Huawei’s Ascend 910C to Use TSMC/SMIC’s 7nm Technology; “Millions” of Chips Expected
The Chinese AI landscape is undergoing a major transformation, with domestic demand for computing power reaching new heights, thanks in part to innovative models like DeepSeek’s R1. Amidst this surge, Huawei emerges as a key player with its upcoming Ascend 910C chips, sparking increased competition in the market. Based on insights from @ohlennart, the 910C chip is set to rival NVIDIA’s H100, presenting a formidable challenge in the Chinese arena.
[Embedded Twitter post by Lennart Heim discussing the upcoming Ascend 910C and its implications]
The Ascend 910C won’t mirror the complexity of NVIDIA’s models. Instead, Huawei is implementing a more conventional design, utilizing two silicon interposers connected through an organic substrate—essentially joining two Ascend 910B units to boost performance. This configuration promises to deliver 800 TFLOP/s at FP16, with a memory bandwidth reaching 3.2 TB/s, closely aligning with the capabilities of the H100.
Huawei is set to leverage 7nm technology from both TSMC and SMIC for the Ascend 910C. Anticipating export restrictions, Huawei previously secured significant 7nm orders from TSMC, ensuring a substantial supply for its upcoming chips. Although China’s SMIC will also contribute, having achieved notable 7nm production success, with expected monthly outputs of around 50,000 wafers, which should meet Huawei’s ambitious goal of shipping millions of these AI chips.
Considering China’s recent strides in AI computing, the Ascend 910C marks a significant milestone. However, when viewed in a global context, Huawei still faces challenges, trailing by a substantial margin in computing power. Yet, as companies like DeepSeek demonstrate innovative compensatory strategies, the emerging AI competition, fueled by China’s vast talent pool, promises to heat up and redefine the race.
