Huawei’s Ascend AI chip yield rises to 40%: report

Huawei's Ascend AI chip yield increased from 20% to 40%, marking profitability amid US export controls.

: Huawei increased their Ascend AI chip yield from 20% to nearly 40% in a year, with SMIC's help. By aiming for a 60% yield, they move closer to industry standards. Despite US export controls, Huawei plans significant production of Ascend processors while competitors like NVIDIA dominate. The development boosts China's pursuit of tech self-sufficiency.

Huawei reported an increase in the yield rate of its Ascend AI chips from 20% to 40% over the past year, a growth that led to the first profitable production line for the Chinese tech giant. Collaborating with SMIC, Huawei strives for a 60% yield, the industry standard, to further strengthen its position amid the US export controls.

The production of Huawei's Ascend chips utilizes the N+2 process and circumvents extreme ultraviolet lithography, a technology inaccessible to China due to restrictions on purchasing from ASML. Despite this, Huawei plans robust production figures for multiple chip models, aiming for significant output for the Ascend 910B and an upcoming start for the 910C model.

Currently, NVIDIA surpasses Huawei in AI chip sales in China, with substantial earnings last year from its H20 model, a modification of the high-power H100 restricted for sale. As Huawei advances, they play a critical role in China's efforts to reduce dependency on US technology and bolster the domestic tech infrastructure.