'Innovation, not just chips': Huawei's strategy for China's AI dominance

A top Huawei executive has rebuffed concerns that a shortage of cutting-edge AI chips will impede China's aspirations to lead in artificial intelligence. Zhang Ping'an, CEO of Huawei Cloud, emphasised the need for innovation to address the issue during a forum at the World AI Conference in Shanghai.
"Nobody will deny that we are facing limited computing power in China," Zhang acknowledged."But we cannot rely solely on having the AI chips with the advanced manufacturing process nodes as the ultimate foundation for AI infrastructure."
His remarks come amid tightening US restrictions on advanced AI chip exports to China, including a ban on sales by companies like Nvidia, Reuters reported.
Zhang urged a shift in perspective, stating, "If we believe that not having the most advanced AI chips means we will be unable to lead in AI, then we need to abandon this viewpoint."
Huawei, which has been placed on the U.S. Entity List, has developed its own AI chip called Ascend. However, industry experts consider it significantly less powerful than Nvidia's offerings, according to Reuters.
The Huawei executive advocated for innovative approaches focusing on cloud technology to compensate for the lack of advanced AI chips. He proposed a converged strategy combining cloud, edge, and networks to enhance efficiency and reduce energy consumption.
Zhang highlighted Huawei Cloud as a leader in providing such innovative solutions, emphasising the importance of computing architecture innovation over reliance on the most advanced chip manufacturing processes.
The World AI Conference, a three-day event that began on Thursday, serves as a platform for industry leaders to discuss advancements and challenges in artificial intelligence technology.