Chinese tech giant Huawei plans to roll out high-speed computing systems that enable fast chip connections, a company executive said Thursday, as Beijing aims to strengthen its AI capabilities and lessen dependence on Western companies.
Rising geopolitical tensions between China and the U.S. have fueled a tech race, with both nations striving for dominance in key areas like artificial intelligence and advanced semiconductors.
Tech giants such as Shenzhen-based Huawei and California-based Nvidia have frequently found themselves at the center of this rivalry, facing numerous limitations on their international activities.
Huawei Unveils High-Powered “SuperPoDs” to Meet Future AI Computing Needs
Huawei Deputy Chairman Eric Xu announced Thursday that the company plans to release the Atlas 950 and Atlas 960 “SuperPoDs” to address “long-term computing demand,” according to a press release.
These systems are designed to connect thousands of Huawei chips, greatly boosting the computing power needed for a wide range of AI applications.
According to a copy of Eric Xu’s speech obtained by AFP, the Atlas 950 and Atlas 960 are scheduled for release in the fourth quarters of 2026 and 2027, respectively.
A previous report by Chinese state-affiliated business outlet Jiemian had incorrectly claimed the Atlas 950 would debut this year.
“These two SuperPoDs will offer top-tier performance across several key areas, including the number of NPUs (neural processing units), total computing power, memory capacity, and interconnect bandwidth,” Xu said in the press release.
China Reportedly Orders Tech Firms to Halt Nvidia Purchases Amid Rising Tensions
The announcement follows a Financial Times report claiming that China’s internet regulator directed local tech firms, including Alibaba and ByteDance, to halt orders for specific Nvidia products.
Citing anonymous sources, the FT said the Cyberspace Administration of China instructed companies to stop all testing and purchasing plans for Nvidia’s RTX Pro 6000D chips—high-performance processors tailored for the Chinese market.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang expressed his “disappointment” over the report on Wednesday.
When asked about the report during a regular press briefing on Thursday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian did not confirm any new restrictions.
He stated, “We consistently oppose discriminatory actions against specific countries in matters of economy, trade, and technology.”
“China is open to dialogue and cooperation with all parties to help safeguard the stability of the global supply chain.”
Analysts view Beijing’s push to reduce reliance on Nvidia products as part of a broader strategy to speed up domestic tech development through firms like Huawei.
The FT report also noted that Beijing regulators recently called in Huawei and Cambricon, another local chipmaker, to discuss how their products compare to Nvidia’s chips in the Chinese market.
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