ByteDance to Develop New AI Model with Huawei Chips Amid US Export Restrictions
ByteDance to develop new AI model using Huawei chips amidst US export restrictions. ByteDance's focus on domestic chip suppliers due to limitations on advanced AI chip exports. ByteDance's current AI technology powers popular applications like chatbot Doubao and text-to-video tool Jimeng.
The move comes as ByteDance shifts its focus to domestic chip suppliers in response to US restrictions on advanced AI chip exports, including Nvidia.
The tech industry's reliance on AI has grown significantly, with companies from various sectors leveraging custom AI models to improve their offerings. ByteDance's upcoming AI project will use Huawei's Ascend 910B chip to train a large-language AI model, according to insiders who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the project's confidentiality.
While ByteDance currently uses the Ascend 910B for less computationally intensive tasks like inference, training AI models requires high-performance chips such as Nvidia GPUs. The new AI model, while less powerful than ByteDance's current Doubao model, represents a strategic shift in the AI race.
ByteDance spokesperson Michael Hughes denied that a new model was being developed, and Huawei declined to comment. ByteDance's purchase of over 100,000 Ascend 910B chips this year has been hampered by slow delivery, affecting the company's timeline for the new model.
ByteDance's current AI technology powers its flagship large-language model, now known as chatbot Doubao, as well as a variety of applications, including the text-to-video tool Jimeng. ByteDance's chatbot has become extremely popular in China, with over 10 million monthly active users.
ByteDance's emphasis on AI has positioned it as a major purchaser of Huawei AI chips as well as Nvidia's H20 AI chip designed specifically for the Chinese market. Furthermore, ByteDance is Microsoft's leading client in Asia for Nvidia chips available through cloud computing services.
In a previous report, it was revealed that ByteDance spent $2 billion on Nvidia chips last year. Nvidia and Microsoft declined to comment on the matter, citing the changing landscape of AI development and the strategic partnerships that shape the tech industry.
ByteDance to develop new AI model using Huawei chips amidst US export restrictions.
ByteDance's focus on domestic chip suppliers due to limitations on advanced AI chip exports.
ByteDance's current AI technology powers popular applications like chatbot Doubao and text-to-video tool Jimeng.
Source: REUTERS
