Alibaba challenges Nvidia with a new AI chip
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba launched a new artificial intelligence chip, claiming it boasts three times the performance of its predecessor. This move underscores the growing domestic chip development capabilities of China, as US tech giant Nvidia faces challenges in accessing the Chinese market.Semiconductors are at the heart of the escalating competition between the US and China for AI supremacy. Washington has banned the sale of Nvidia's latest chips in China, citing national security concerns. In response, Beijing has pursued self-sufficiency in this area, investing heavily in its domestic industry. Reports indicate that China has also prohibited companies from purchasing Nvidia chips.
Alibaba Group confirmed that its new Ginwoo M890 chip is capable of delivering three times the performance of the Ginwoo E810, which is described as being comparable to Nvidia's H20 chipset. The H20 is a less powerful version of Nvidia's AI processing units, specifically designed for export to China. The more advanced H200 chip has been approved for export to China by the United States, but its entry into the Chinese market appears to be stalled.
Zhang Guobin, founder of a technology website, said the timing of the chipset launch was "very precise." He explained to AFP that it comes "at a time when the prospects for the H200 entering the Chinese market are uncertain, and Nvidia's business in China has effectively dwindled to zero."
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