China forges AI partnerships to minimize U.S. tech dependence - Huawei and other domestic companies aiming to establish a joint tech infrastructure powered by domestic standards.
Chinese AI Consortium Aims to Build Domestic AI Ecosystem
Two significant initiatives, the Model-Chip Ecosystem Innovation Alliance and the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce AI Committee, are taking shape in China to bolster the country's AI industry.
The Model-Chip Ecosystem Innovation Alliance, comprising leading Chinese AI chip makers like Huawei, Biren Technologies, Enflame, Moore Threads, and AI model developers such as StepFun, is set to create a unified AI technology stack. This stack will integrate AI hardware (chips), large language models (LLMs), and supporting infrastructure. The alliance's primary goal is to build a groundbreaking AI ecosystem that links hardware, software frameworks, and AI models through common standards, protocols, and interfaces. This move is designed to reduce fragmentation and enable interoperability within China's domestic AI industry [1][2][3][4].
Amid supply constraints on foreign hardware, particularly high-performance American GPUs like Nvidia’s, the alliance intends to streamline and localize the development of AI chips and models. By standardizing hardware-software integration and fostering domestic chip innovation, it aims to reduce China's reliance on American AI technologies and build self-sufficiency in AI computing power [1][2][3].
Key components of the alliance's approach include:
- Establishing common protocols and frameworks for model-chip-infrastructure interoperability.
- Integrating efforts of chip manufacturers and LLM developers to create a unified tech stack.
- Accelerating standardization to reduce fragmentation and dependence on foreign suppliers.
- Fostering ecosystem-wide innovation to counter US export controls and sanctions that limit access to advanced chips and AI technologies [1][3][4].
Meanwhile, the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce AI Committee is a new initiative aimed at integrating AI more deeply into industrial applications. Although it does not share the same focus on standardization and interoperability, it does aim to ensure that cutting-edge models and systems actively power China's industrial transformation. The AI Committee functions as a bridge between AI developers and industrial players [1][2].
Both initiatives are part of a broader national effort to create a self-sufficient AI ecosystem in China. By fostering domestic innovation and reducing dependence on foreign technologies, China aims to position itself as a global leader in AI technology.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/technology/china-ai-companies-launch-model-chip-ecosystem-innovation-alliance-2021-09-23/ [2] https://www.scmp.com/tech/china-tech/article/3147140/chinas-ai-companies-launch-model-chip-ecosystem-innovation-alliance [3] https://www.bloombergquint.com/onweb/china-ai-companies-launch-model-chip-ecosystem-innovation-alliance [4] https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202110/14/WS6169f2e2a3105d214178f67a.html
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a key focus for both the Model-Chip Ecosystem Innovation Alliance and the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce AI Committee, as they aim to build a domestic AI ecosystem within China. The Model-Chip Ecosystem Innovation Alliance specifically intends to create a unified AI technology stack that integrates AI models, along with AI hardware and supporting infrastructure.
