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ByteDance is reportedly developing an AI model using Huawei chips, shifting focus to domestic suppliers amid US trade sanctions on Nvidia processors.
AI is now essential in the tech industry, with companies in e-commerce and gaming enhancing their services using tailored AI models with pattern recognition for decision-making.
Training AI models is resource-intensive and needs large amounts of data, so it requires high-performance chips like Nvidia‘s premium GPUs. However, in 2022, the US government banned Nvidia from selling its most advanced AI processors to Chinese customers to restrict Beijing’s technological advancements.
Recently, Beijing has urged Chinese companies to purchase locally produced AI chips instead of those from Nvidia, according to Bloomberg.
In response, ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, has shifted to local manufacturers and advanced its AI chip development. The company plans to use Huawei’s Ascend 910B chip to develop a large language model and currently employs it for less demanding inference tasks, according to several sources cited by Reuters.
How Does ByteDance Use AI Now?
ByteDance’s current AI technology powers its flagship large language model, launched under the name Doubao in August 2023. It is also used in various applications, including the text-to-video tool Jimeng. In September ByteDance unveiled two video-oriented Doubao models to challenge OpenAI.
Usage of these applications has surged since the year’s start. ByteDance’s chatbot has become one of China’s top apps, exceeding 10 million active users each month. The growing emphasis on AI has turned ByteDance into one of Huawei’s biggest customers for AI chips.
Challenges in ByteDance’s AI Model Development
According to one source, the new model’s performance and complexity will fall short of ByteDance’s current AI model, Doubao.
ByteDance requested over 100,000 Ascend 910B chips this year but obtained less than 30,000 by July, leaving it unable to meet its needs, according to one source. The restricted availability and lower computing power compared to Nvidia‘s available chips have held back the schedule for the new model.
In general, China’s efforts to match U.S. AI computing power are hindered by Huawei’s software and production challenges, making its Ascend series chips inferior to Nvidia‘s. U.S. trade restrictions and limited access to advanced manufacturing equipment further exacerbate these issues.
Despite these limitations, China’s demand for advanced AI chips continues to grow, leading to innovative solutions, including Nvidia’s plans to launch a custom AI chip for the Chinese market.
