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Huawei outlines chip roadmap, challenges Nvidia with AI supernodes

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Huawei unveiled its long-term semiconductor strategy at the Huawei Connect conference in Shanghai, presenting detailed timelines for its Ascend AI chips, Kunpeng server processors, and next-generation computing systems. The move signals China’s determination to reduce reliance on foreign chipmakers like Nvidia while intensifying the U.S.-China tech rivalry.

Rotating chairman Eric Xu announced that Huawei will release new Ascend chips annually, doubling compute power with each iteration. The company launched its Ascend 910C earlier this year and plans to follow with the Ascend 950 in 2026, the 960 in 2027, and the 970 in 2028. Alongside, Huawei is preparing high-performance “supernodes” designed to interconnect thousands of chips at high speed. The Atlas 950 system, expected in late 2026, will link 8,192 Ascend chips, while the Atlas 960 in 2027 will support 15,488 chips—leaps over the existing Atlas 900.

Huawei also revealed it has developed proprietary high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a field dominated by South Korea’s SK Hynix and Samsung, strengthening its position in advanced computing. Updated versions of its Kunpeng server chip are scheduled for 2026 and 2028.

The timing of the announcement coincides with escalating tensions: Chinese regulators have accused Nvidia of antitrust violations and ordered local firms to halt purchases of its AI chips. Analysts say Huawei’s show of strength reflects growing confidence that U.S. export controls will not derail China’s domestic chipmaking progress.

Despite Huawei’s advances, engineers acknowledge Nvidia’s chips still outperform Chinese alternatives. However, Huawei is betting on leveraging China’s networking and power infrastructure advantages to offset manufacturing gaps and push large-scale systems forward.

Chinese semiconductor stocks rallied after reports of Beijing’s restrictions on Nvidia sales. The geopolitical backdrop looms large, with President Xi Jinping set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump amid renewed trade negotiations.

Huawei unveils chip and computing power roadmap in challenge to Nvidia

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Huawei on Thursday publicly detailed its long-term semiconductor ambitions for the first time, pledging annual upgrades to its Ascend AI chips and unveiling plans for powerful computing systems designed to rival Nvidia (NVDA.O).

At its annual Huawei Connect conference in Shanghai, rotating chairman Eric Xu said the company will follow a one-year release cycle that doubles computing power with each generation. Huawei also revealed it has developed its own high-bandwidth memory, a technology currently dominated by South Korea’s SK Hynix (000660.KS) and Samsung Electronics (005930.KS).

Xu said Huawei’s upcoming Atlas 950 supernode, slated for launch in late 2026, will connect 8,192 Ascend chips, while the Atlas 960 in 2027 will link 15,488 chips. He claimed these systems will “far exceed” competitors on key performance metrics. Huawei will also release new Kunpeng server chips in 2026 and 2028.

The roadmap underscores China’s push to reduce reliance on U.S. suppliers amid intensifying trade and technology tensions. This week, Beijing accused Nvidia of antitrust violations and ordered major Chinese firms to halt purchases of its AI chips, according to the Financial Times. The moves come just before a scheduled meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.

Huawei first entered chipmaking in 2018 but retreated from public disclosures after U.S. sanctions in 2019 restricted its access to advanced chipmaking tools. Since then, analysts say the company has become a leader in China’s domestic semiconductor push. Its current AI flagship, the Ascend 910C, launched earlier this year, with the Ascend 950 due in 2025, followed by the 960 in 2027 and the 970 in 2028.

Despite these advances, engineers at Chinese tech firms acknowledge Nvidia’s chips remain more powerful. U.S. export controls continue to limit Huawei’s access to cutting-edge manufacturing technology, though Washington recently eased some restrictions on downgraded Nvidia chip sales.

“Huawei is leveraging its networking strengths and China’s power supply advantages to push aggressively into supernodes, offsetting lagging chip manufacturing,” said Wang Shen of Omdia.

Chinese semiconductor stocks rose 3.4% on Thursday after reports of the Nvidia purchase ban. Beijing’s foreign ministry responded cautiously, saying China remains open to dialogue to stabilize global supply chains.

Huawei CEO Admits Chip Technology One Generation Behind U.S. but Highlights Innovation Workarounds

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Huawei Technologies’ CEO Ren Zhengfei acknowledged on Tuesday that the company’s chips lag behind U.S. peers by one generation but emphasized that Huawei is overcoming this gap through innovative approaches such as cluster computing and compound chip designs. In an interview with the People’s Daily, the Chinese state media outlet, Ren stated that there is “no need to worry about the chip problem,” despite ongoing U.S. export restrictions.

Ren revealed that Huawei invests about 180 billion yuan ($25.07 billion) annually in research, with around a third allocated to theoretical research. He stressed the importance of theory for breakthroughs, noting, “Without theory, there will be no breakthroughs, and we will not catch up with the United States.”

U.S. export controls, introduced since 2019 to curb China’s access to advanced chipmaking technology, have limited Huawei’s ability to source high-end chips and manufacturing equipment. Nevertheless, Huawei’s strategy involves supplementing traditional chip advances (Moore’s law) with mathematical approaches, non-Moore’s law technologies, and cluster computing — where multiple chips or computers work together to boost performance.

Huawei’s Ascend AI chip series competes domestically with Nvidia, though U.S. restrictions bar Nvidia from selling its most advanced AI chips to China. Despite this, Huawei has developed AI systems like the “AI CloudMatrix 384,” linking 384 Ascend 910C chips in a cluster that, according to some analysts, can outperform Nvidia’s comparable offerings in certain metrics.

Ren also commented on perceptions of Huawei’s stature, saying the U.S. “has exaggerated Huawei’s achievements” and that the company still has work ahead to reach those high expectations.

This interview comes as top U.S. and Chinese officials resume trade talks in London, where technology export restrictions are key discussion points.