AWS Launches New Nova AI Models And a Service That Gives Customers More Control

Huawei announces new AI infrastructure as Nvidia gets locked out of China

Huawei is making a bold move in the AI race. At its annual Huawei Connect conference in Shenzhen, the company unveiled new AI infrastructure designed to boost compute power and reduce reliance on foreign chipmakers. The announcement comes as Huawei gains ground in China while Nvidia faces mounting restrictions.

Image Credits:Barcroft Media/ Getty Images

Huawei’s new SuperPoD Interconnect technology

The centerpiece of the reveal is Huawei’s SuperPoD Interconnect, a system capable of linking up to 15,000 graphics cards. This includes Huawei’s Ascend AI chips, which—though less powerful than Nvidia’s—can now be clustered to deliver massive compute power.

This approach mirrors Nvidia’s NVLink, which enables high-speed communication between AI processors. By scaling Ascend chips together, Huawei aims to give researchers and enterprises more firepower for training large AI models and running advanced applications.

Why this matters for Huawei and China

With Nvidia effectively locked out of China due to U.S. export restrictions, Huawei is positioning itself as the country’s leading AI hardware provider. The timing is no accident. China’s tech industry is racing to develop homegrown alternatives to U.S. technology, and Huawei’s latest announcement signals a major step forward.

While Huawei’s chips don’t yet match Nvidia’s top-performing GPUs, its ability to scale them through SuperPoD could level the playing field. This may give Chinese AI startups and research labs the tools they need to remain competitive in global AI development.

The bigger picture in the AI chip war

Huawei’s new AI infrastructure comes at a pivotal moment. Nvidia’s absence in the Chinese market creates a vacuum, and Huawei is rushing to fill it. Analysts believe that, if successful, Huawei could not only dominate in China but also expand its influence across emerging AI markets where access to Nvidia’s chips is limited.

This shift underscores the growing geopolitical tension in AI. As the U.S. tightens controls on advanced chips, China is accelerating efforts to achieve technological independence. Huawei’s infrastructure announcement is both a technical and symbolic move in this high-stakes battle.