Huawei Ascend 910: World’s Most Powerful AI Chipset Launched

Following its announcement in 2018, Huawei has now launched the Ascend 910 processor, which is touted to be the world’s most powerful AI processor.

Ascend 910 Processor

Huawei’s new Ascend 910 AI processor (in its Ascend-Max chipset series) is meant for AI model training.

After undergoing several tests since its official announcement, the Ascend 910 AI processor can produce 256 TeraFLOPS of performance for half-precision floating points (FP16) operations.

As for the integer precision calculations, the Ascend 910 can deliver 512 TeraOPS, coming with “more computing power than any other AI processor in the world.”

The AI processor can perform all the powerful tasks by consuming power of just 310W, which is lower than the expected 350W of power consumption.

MindSpore AI Computing Framework

Apart from announcing the new AI processor, Huawei has also unveiled a new “all-scenario” AI computing framework called MindSpore.

Meant for AI-based app development, MindSpore is a user privacy-friendly framework as it protects user data and AI models with the help of built-in model protection technology.

The AI framework is adaptive and can work in different deployment situations such as all devices, cloud services, edge, and IoT computing devices.

It is suggested that MindSpore will be available as an open-source platform starting in 2020 for easy and broader AI adoption.

Additionally, both MindSpore and Ascend 910 can train AI models twice as fast when both are combined to work together.

To recall, Huawei launched the Ascend 310 AI processor and ModelArts last year, with both AI products being adopted at a faster pace since their launch.

Huawei’s AI Roadmap

Huawei has a well-planned AI strategy wherein it plans to build machine learning capabilities and develop a full-stack AI portfolio that is efficient and affordable.

Furthermore, it plans to make AI a “true general-purpose technology.”

Huawei will launch more AI products at the forthcoming Huawei Connect 2019, to be held between September 18 and 20 in Shanghai.