Huawei AI chip sales surge as it takes China market lead
Updated
Updated · Financial Times · May 1
Huawei AI chip sales surge as it takes China market lead
15 articles · Updated · Financial Times · May 1
The Shenzhen company expects about $12bn in 2026 revenue, up from $7.5bn in 2025, driven by large orders for its Ascend 950PR, which entered mass production in March.
Huawei’s gains come as Nvidia has made no H200 shipments to China despite March US licences, with customs clearance blocked by overlapping US and Chinese regulatory restrictions.
Huawei, manufacturing mainly with SMIC and adding two dedicated fabs later this year, is targeting AI inference demand, though its chips and Cann software still trail Nvidia’s hardware and Cuda ecosystem.
Can Huawei's hardware surge overcome its software gap to truly challenge Nvidia's dominance?
Is China's state-led 'AI+ Initiative' a blueprint for leapfrogging Western tech leadership?
Are US sanctions creating the very Chinese tech rival they were designed to prevent?