Archive · 17 Sep 2026
Huawei Sets 2027 AI Chip Launches as Nvidia Challenge Intensifies
Huawei is planning two new computer chips for artificial intelligence.
One chip is expected in early 2027, and the other later that year.
The company wants these chips to compete with Nvidia, a major chipmaker.
Huawei is also creating a system called UnifiedBus.
It helps many chips share information and work together.
This is useful because difficult AI tasks often need more power than one chip can provide.
Huawei says its biggest connected systems could use up to 1 million AI processors.
The company says it has already shipped more than 1,000 smaller connected systems to customers.
Huawei plans to launch the 960DT in the first quarter of 2027.
The Ascend 960PR is scheduled for release in the third quarter of 2027.
Huawei is developing UnifiedBus to connect large numbers of AI chips into shared computing systems.
The company says its largest linked systems can support up to 1 million AI processors.
Huawei says it has shipped more than 1,000 supernodes to over 370 customers.
- Who
- Huawei Technologies, represented by rotating chairman David Wang, is developing the chips and systems; Nvidia is identified as its major competitor.
- What
- Huawei announced plans for two AI semiconductors—the 960DT and Ascend 960PR—and described UnifiedBus technology for connecting AI chips.
- When
- The 960DT is planned for the first quarter of 2027, while the Ascend 960PR is planned for the third quarter of 2027. Wang made the announcement on Thursday.
- Where
- David Wang announced the plans in a speech at a Huawei company event in Shanghai.
- Why
- Huawei is expanding its AI-computing business and seeking to challenge Nvidia, while connected systems can provide more processing power when a single chip is insufficient.
- Planned chip launches
- 960DT in the first quarter of 2027; Ascend 960PR in the third quarter of 2027.
- Connectivity technology
- UnifiedBus is designed to help AI chips share information and operate together more efficiently.
- UnifiedBus semiconductors
- Huawei says it has developed 11 semiconductors based on UnifiedBus technology.
- Largest systems
- Huawei says its superclusters can support up to 1 million AI processors.
- Shipments
- More than 1,000 supernodes have been shipped to over 370 customers, according to Wang.
- Developer ecosystem
- Huawei says its AI-chip ecosystem has 5,270 monthly active developers.
- Market competition
- Nvidia is described as an established AI-chip leader whose hardware and software tools are widely used by developers.
