China Races for AI Self-Sufficiency with New Huawei Chip Launch

China’s President Xi Jinping has called for intensified efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in artificial intelligence, emphasizing the nation's growing rivalry with the United States. Speaking at a Politburo study session on Friday, Xi urged China to use its "new whole national system" and focus on technological innovation, industrial development, and AI-powered applications, according to state media outlet Xinhua.

"We must recognize the gaps and redouble our efforts to comprehensively advance technological innovation, industrial development, and AI-empowered applications," Xi said, pledging policy support for government procurement, intellectual property rights, research, and talent cultivation.

Xi’s comments come as China rapidly narrows its AI gap with the United States. Startups like DeepSeek have drawn global attention by developing AI models that rival Western counterparts despite limited access to cutting-edge hardware. Xi stressed the importance of "mastering core technologies such as high-end chips and basic software" and called for accelerated development of AI regulations to ensure systems are "safe, reliable, and controllable."

Huawei Unveils Ascend 910D to Challenge Nvidia’s Dominance

In a move aligned with Xi’s vision, Huawei Technologies is preparing to test its most advanced AI chip yet, the Ascend 910D. The Shenzhen-based company aims for the processor to compete with Nvidia’s high-performance H100 chip, a mainstay in AI training.

Sources familiar with the development said Huawei plans to receive its first batch of Ascend 910D samples by late May. Early testing will focus on evaluating the chip’s capabilities, though insiders acknowledge the development remains at an initial stage.

Despite U.S. sanctions cutting Huawei off from vital chip-making equipment, the company continues to push forward. Previous models, such as the Ascend 910B and 910C, were critical steps in building China’s domestic semiconductor supply chain. Huawei's 910D chip uses advanced packaging techniques to integrate multiple silicon dies, boosting performance, although it remains less power-efficient than Nvidia’s H100.

A Shift in Global Semiconductor Competition

Washington’s tightening restrictions on AI chip exports — including blocking Nvidia’s H20 model — have created opportunities for Huawei and other Chinese firms like Cambricon Technologies. Analysts estimate Huawei will ship more than 800,000 Ascend 910B and 910C chips this year, selling to customers like ByteDance and major state-owned telecom carriers.

Huawei has also focused on building large-scale computing systems, such as the newly introduced CloudMatrix 384, which connects 384 Ascend 910C chips. While more power-hungry, the system rivals Nvidia’s flagship rack units in specific use cases, highlighting China's growing ability to engineer around hardware gaps.

Still, Huawei faces challenges, including limited access to the world’s top foundries and advanced memory technologies. Yet, industry analysts argue that scaling up interconnected chip systems may offset these deficiencies in China’s domestic AI push.

What This Means

China’s leadership sees AI as a pillar of national strength, and Huawei’s progress shows that the country is serious about building alternatives to U.S. technology. While American sanctions have slowed China's access to the most advanced chipmaking tools, they have also accelerated efforts to innovate domestically and engineer new solutions around existing limitations.

The rollout of chips like the Ascend 910D signals that China is willing to invest heavily in scaling AI infrastructure—even if the hardware is not yet as power-efficient as Western counterparts. By focusing on system-wide performance and sheer scale, rather than just individual chip efficiency, China is crafting a distinct path toward technological self-reliance.

If current trends continue, the global balance in AI development may increasingly depend not only on breakthroughs in technology, but on resilience, resourcefulness, and the ability to innovate under pressure.

In the battle for AI leadership, resilience, not just raw power, may define the future.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.