23 hrs ago
Alibaba unveils AI chip, plans trillion-parameter Qwen models
Alibaba is building a new computer chip for artificial intelligence.
The chip is called the Zhenwu V900.
Alibaba says it is three times faster than its earlier chip.
The company plans to start selling it in early 2027.
Alibaba also wants to make much larger versions of its Qwen AI models.
These models could have as many as 10 trillion parameters, which are like settings that help an AI learn patterns.
Alibaba says bigger models could handle longer and harder tasks.
The company is also expanding its data centers around the world to support its AI systems.
Alibaba announced the Zhenwu V900 AI processor at its annual Apsara Conference in Hangzhou, China.
The company said the V900 delivers three times the performance of its predecessor, the Zhenwu M890.
Alibaba plans to begin mass-producing and commercially shipping the V900 in the first quarter of 2027.
Alibaba’s Qwen team plans models with between 5 trillion and 10 trillion parameters, compared with about 2.4 trillion currently.
Alibaba Cloud aims to expand global data-center capacity beyond 20 gigawatts by 2032.
- Who
- Alibaba Group, including its Qwen team and semiconductor arm T-Head, led by CEO Eddie Wu.
- What
- The company announced the Zhenwu V900 AI chip, larger planned Qwen models, and expanded cloud infrastructure.
- Where
- The announcements were made at Alibaba’s annual Apsara Conference in Hangzhou, China; the data-center expansion will be global.
- When
- The announcements were made on Tuesday; V900 mass production and commercial shipping are planned for the first quarter of 2027, while the data-center target is set for 2032.
- Why
- Alibaba says the chip and larger models will support demanding AI workloads and more complex tasks, as Chinese companies seek alternatives amid stricter United States export controls on NVIDIA chips.
Key facts
- New chip
- Zhenwu V900, developed by Alibaba’s semiconductor arm T-Head
- Reported performance
- Alibaba says the V900 provides three times the performance of the previous Zhenwu M890
- Planned availability
- Mass production and commercial shipping are expected in the first quarter of 2027
- Qwen model scale
- Future models are planned with 5 trillion to 10 trillion parameters
- Current Qwen scale
- Alibaba’s flagship Qwen model has approximately 2.4 trillion parameters
- Processor clusters
- V900 chips can reportedly be clustered with up to 500,000 processors
- Cloud capacity target
- Alibaba Cloud aims to exceed 20 gigawatts of global data-center capacity by 2032
Sources
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