Janice R. Andrews
ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is said to be using Huawei chips to develop its latest AI model due to U.S. export restrictions limiting access to NVIDIA chips. As first reported by Reuters, three anonymous sources confirmed that ByteDance is transitioning to Huawei’s Ascend 910B chips for its AI training.
In the past, ByteDance utilized NVIDIA’s H20 AI chips, which were not affected by the U.S. trade sanctions imposed in 2022. These restrictions were designed to slow China’s technological advancements, allowing only select AI chips to be sold. Facing difficulties in acquiring NVIDIA chips, ByteDance reportedly ordered 100,000 Huawei chips, although only 30,000 have been delivered so far.
Despite this shift, ByteDance’s AI model development has encountered delays due to a global chip shortage. Huawei’s Ascend 910B chips are said to be more efficient than NVIDIA’s A100 chips, yet the limited supply has hindered progress.
This move reflects a broader trend of Chinese companies reducing their reliance on Western technology. As tensions with the U.S. continue, more businesses are opting for domestic solutions. ByteDance has not officially commented on the matter, but the transition underscores China’s effort to bolster its local tech industry.
