An analysis by a research institution shows that Huawei's high-end artificial intelligence (AI) processors use components from TSMC, Samsung Electronics, and SK Hynix, highlighting China's dependence on foreign hardware while striving to promote domestic AI chip production.
According to Bloomberg, Canadian research firm TechInsights found in their study that several samples of Huawei's third-generation Ascend 910C chips had bare chips (DIE, unpackaged chips) manufactured by TSMC, while older generation high bandwidth memory (HBM2E) chips produced by Samsung and SK Hynix were used in the memory section. Components from both Samsung and SK Hynix were found in two different samples of the Ascend 910C.
China is currently in the midst of the National Day and Mid Autumn Festival holiday, and Huawei has not responded to our request for comment.
The Ascend 910C is a high-performance AI chip that Huawei began mass producing at the beginning of this year. Through a dual chip integrated packaging design, it achieves performance close to that of the Nvidia H100 chip. According to technology media Fast Tech, the Ascend 910C is manufactured using SMIC's 7-nanometer process, with an overall localization rate of around 55%.
Due to the difficulty of the twin chip packaging process and Huawei's restrictions on obtaining foreign components, the market is concerned about the mass production capacity of the Ascend 910C. Starting from September 2020, the United States has banned chip companies including TSMC from supplying Huawei.
TSMC stated in a statement that the bare chips contained in the 910C chip disassembled by TechInsights belong to old batch products and are not chips manufactured recently or using more advanced processes. TSMC reiterates that it has not supplied Huawei since September 2020, and Samsung and SK Hynix have also stated strict compliance with US export regulations.
The report points out that although Huawei is striving to increase the proportion of local production, obtaining foreign components through various channels is still crucial. Previously, Huawei had produced millions of chips at TSMC through its intermediary company Sophgo.
Semiconductor research firm SemiAnalysis estimates that Huawei still holds approximately 2.9 million bare chip inventories, which can support the production of the Ascend 910C until the end of the year.
Bloomberg also quoted informed sources as saying that Huawei plans to produce about 600000 flagship 910C Sagitar chips next year, which is about twice the production volume this year. If this goal is achieved, it indicates that Huawei and SMIC have found ways to alleviate production bottlenecks.
|
300x180 AD