DeepSeek AI Confirmed to be Powered by a Huawei Chip

The world of artificial intelligence is evolving rapidly, with DeepSeek, a Chinese AI model, emerging as a key player in China’s pushback against major US tech companies.

Its chatbot has surged to the top of the App Store rankings in 51 countries, revealing its reliance on Huawei to function effectively.

AI analyst Alexander Doria disclosed that DeepSeek’s R1 large-language model (LLM) initially underwent training using Nvidia’s H100 but now depends on Huawei’s Ascend 910C chip for generating responses.

This shift indicates a transition in AI computing from Western-manufactured hardware to Chinese alternatives, potentially impacting the global AI competition significantly.

In his posts on X, Doria highlighted DeepSeek’s strategy of segregating training and inference, reducing the necessity for high-powered GPUs. Although Huawei’s 910C chip may not match Nvidia’s H100 in training capabilities, it excels in generating responses, enabling DeepSeek to trim costs while remaining competitive.

However, Doria suggested that DeepSeek could potentially train its next AI model using 32,000 Huawei 910C chips. While Huawei may face challenges in meeting the demand, it could prioritize DeepSeek to showcase China’s ability to develop AI independently from US technology.

If DeepSeek indeed utilizes Huawei chips for training, it could revolutionize the global AI market. The US AI industry, already wary of DeepSeek’s success, might encounter stiffer competition from Chinese firms capable of constructing advanced AI models at a lower cost.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Presently, Huawei’s 910C chip cannot fully replace Nvidia’s H100, particularly in training AI models. Nonetheless, as the AI competition continues, DeepSeek’s utilization of Huawei chips demonstrates China’s progress in narrowing the technological gap.

The successful operation of DeepSeek’s responses indicates China’s swift advancements in AI chip technology. If the upcoming 920C chip, successor to the current one, meets expectations, it could reshape the landscape of the AI competition.

To delve deeper into this topic, including insights on the safety of using DeepSeek, refer to our comprehensive explanatory article.