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Alba Mora
WriterAn established tech journalist, I entered the world of consumer tech by chance in 2018. In my writing and translating career, I've also covered a diverse range of topics, including entertainment, travel, science, and the economy.
The Department of Commerce has made a significant move in its efforts to restrict Huawei’s business operations outside of China. In recent weeks, the Chinese company has introduced two AI chips: the Ascend 910D and the Ascend 920. With these new products, Huawei aims to capture the market gaps that Nvidia is expected to leave due to recent U.S. sanctions against China.
Nvidia can no longer supply its H20 GPU to Chinese customers, and Huawei is positioning the Ascend 920 chip to take advantage of this situation. Meanwhile, the Ascend 910D chip is believed to offer performance comparable to Nvidia’s H100 GPU, making it a viable alternative. Although the U.S. can’t directly control Huawei’s activities within China, it’s taken crucial steps to limit the company’s influence outside of its home country.
The U.S. Is Using One of its Most Powerful Tools: Patents
The U.S. has the power to prevent Dutch company ASML from selling its most advanced lithography equipment to Chinese customers. This restriction is based on a fundamental principle. The most sophisticated machines that ASML manufactures, such as its extreme ultraviolet and deep ultraviolet photolithography equipment, rely on U.S. technologies.
One key innovation in these machines allows them to generate ultraviolet radiation at the correct wavelength.
According to the Department of Commerce, Huawei has illegally produced these chips using U.S. technologies.
Similarly, the Department of Commerce has implemented a resolution that prevents any country from purchasing Huawei’s Ascend AI GPUs. According to DOC, Huawei has reportedly produced these chips using U.S. technology in violation of export controls, and exporting them from China is illegal.
In practice, the U.S. may struggle to control the flow of Huawei’s AI GPUs out of China, particularly when these semiconductors reach China’s allies. To exert pressure on countries interested in acquiring Huawei’s chips, the U.S. is announcing potential fines, the possibility of revoking export licenses, and even criminal penalties.
However, not all of Huawei’s AI GPUs are banned from being exported outside of China. The Ascend 910B, 910C, and the upcoming 910D chips are prohibited. Meanwhile, the Ascend 910, which TSMC legally produced for Huawei in 2019 and 2020, can still be freely traded around the globe.
Image | BoliviaInteligente
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