Huawei’s upcoming Ascend 910D AI chip is generating significant attention as the company positions it as a direct competitor to Nvidia’s flagship H100 GPU, which has set the global standard for AI model training since its release in 2022.
The Ascend 910D is currently in the early stages of development, with initial samples expected to be delivered to Chinese technology firms for evaluation as soon as late May. Huawei is actively seeking technical feedback to determine the chip’s feasibility and performance before a broader rollout.
Huawei’s ambition is clear: the company aims for the Ascend 910D to not only match but potentially surpass the performance of Nvidia’s H100, especially as US export restrictions limit China’s access to Nvidia’s most advanced chips.
This drive is part of a broader push for semiconductor self-sufficiency in China, as Beijing accelerates efforts to reduce reliance on US technology and foster a robust domestic chip ecosystem.
The trade restrictions have created a unique opportunity for Huawei and other Chinese chipmakers to gain ground in a market long dominated by Nvidia.
Early indications suggest that the Ascend 910D could be more powerful than the H100, but it remains in the testing phase and will undergo multiple rounds of rigorous assessment before reaching customers.
Previous iterations, such as the Ascend 910B and 910C, have already demonstrated that Huawei can produce chips with performance approaching Nvidia’s, particularly when leveraging advanced multi-chip integration technologies.
However, while the 910C achieved about 60% of the H100’s inference performance, Nvidia’s GPUs are still widely regarded as the gold standard for AI training workloads.
The challenge for Huawei will be in closing the remaining performance and ecosystem gap. Nvidia’s dominance is not only due to raw hardware capabilities but also its mature software stack and widespread industry adoption.
For Huawei, the Ascend 910D represents a significant leap forward, and if it delivers on its promise, it could become the preferred AI chip for Chinese firms unable to access Nvidia’s latest GPUs.
In summary, the Ascend 910D is poised to be Huawei’s most formidable challenge yet to Nvidia’s H100, reflecting both the resilience and rapid progress of China’s semiconductor industry.
While it is too early to declare a definitive winner, the coming months of testing and real-world deployment will reveal whether Huawei’s new chip can truly rival Nvidia’s best for AI model training on a global scale.