- Huawei plans to release Ascend 950 in 2026, followed by 960 in 2027 and 970 in 2028. It also revealed Atlas 950 and 960 “supernodes” supporting 8,192 and 15,488 chips respectively.
- In some benchmarks, Huawei systems already beat Nvidia’s GB200 NVL72 setup. Huawei claims it now has its own high-bandwidth memory technology.
What happened: Huawei AI chip rush
At its Huawei Connect event in Shanghai, Huawei laid out a roadmap for its Ascend AI chips and Atlas supernodes. The goal is to cut China’s reliance on U.S. AI hardware by matching Nvidia’s performance, even under export restrictions.
Huawei publicly shared for the first time its full multi-year plan for its Ascend series of AI chips. The roadmap covers the release of Ascend 950 (two variants) in 2026, followed by 960 in 2027 and 970 in 2028. Huawei also introduced “supernode” systems, Atlas 950 and Atlas 960, that will link thousands of its chips (8,192 and 15,488 respectively) into high-speed clusters.
Huawei has developed its own high-bandwidth memory (HBM) technology to reduce dependence on U.S. and South Korean suppliers. The Ascend 910C chip has already shipped in 2025. Huawei claims that its new systems using these chips outperform Nvidia’s GB200 NVL72 in some key metrics.
Also read: Huawei’s AI lab denies copying Alibaba’s Qwen model
Also read: US tightens chip exports to Huawei and SMIC
Why it’s important
China is facing export controls from the U.S. that limit the access to advanced AI hardware. Under those constraints, Huawei’s push for self-sufficiency in both chip design and memory tech is a major shift.
These moves suggest China wants to reduce its tech vulnerability. If Huawei can match or exceed parts of Nvidia’s performance, Chinese AI firms may rely less on imports. This also changes competitive dynamics in the global AI chip market. Huawei’s roadmap gives it a chance to close the gap in hardware and infrastructure.
Furthermore, for U.S. firms like Nvidia this means their dominance might be challenged not only by technology but by policy and geopolitics. Huawei’s strategy reflects both technical ambition and national policy goals.
