China’s DeepSeek unveils new AI model built to run on Huawei hardware
DeepSeek has unveiled preview of a new model designed specifically to run on Huawei chips
Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup DeepSeek has unveiled a preview of a new model designed specifically to run on Huawei chips, marking a significant step in China’s push toward greater technological independence in the global AI race.
The company said the new model, known as V4, includes a Pro version that performs strongly on world-knowledge benchmarks, reportedly trailing only Google’s closed-source Gemini-Pro-3.1 among competing systems.
DeepSeek also highlighted that the model is optimized for efficiency and lower operating costs compared to other leading AI systems.
A key feature of the release is its close integration with Huawei’s domestic semiconductor technology.
Huawei confirmed that its Ascend chips were used in parts of the model’s training process, reflecting a deeper collaboration between the two firms.
The development stands in contrast to DeepSeek’s earlier reliance on hardware from Nvidia, whose graphics processing units dominate global AI model training.
Analysts say the shift signals China’s growing effort to reduce dependence on US technology amid ongoing export restrictions.
Industry experts have described the move as a milestone for China’s AI ecosystem. According to semiconductor researcher He Hui of Omdia, Huawei’s Ascend chips represent one of the country’s strongest alternatives to Nvidia, and their use in advanced AI training demonstrates progress toward a more self-sufficient domestic supply chain.
The model has also gained attention within the developer community, quickly rising to the top of rankings on Hugging Face, a platform widely used for sharing machine learning models.
Early assessments suggest the system performs well on complex and lengthy text-based tasks, although it currently lacks support for multimodal features such as image and video processing.
DeepSeek’s announcement comes amid broader geopolitical tensions over AI hardware access.
The company has previously faced scrutiny from US officials and competitors over its use of American technology and data sources.
The latest release underscores intensifying competition between China and the United States in the AI sector, particularly in the race to build advanced models independent of foreign chipmakers.