Concerns that the US may impose further restrictions on AI chip exports to China have prompted Chinese companies to shift their focus to AI edge devices, according to sources at Taiwan-based IC design houses.
The export restrictions could widen to cover Nvidia's A800 series specifically designed for the China market, the sources said, adding that AMD's products could also come under the ban. Chinese media have also speculated that the US government may also forbid American companies from providing could services for China's AI firms.
It seems that the US government is not relenting in its bid to curb China's semiconductor advancements. The US is looking to plug the loopholes that have allowed chip transactions to circumvent its export ban, the sources said.
Although the US government has yet to comment on the speculations, Chinese chip design houses, particularly those in the AI and HPC sectors, are already bracing themselves for more pressure to come.
The sources said that Chinese firms developing AI applications are redirecting their focus toward edge devices. Although AI and HPC chips are likely to become risky business for Chinese firms, consumer products, such as AIoT and automotive applications, should still offer room for their developments, the sources said.
Over the past few years, Chinese IC design houses have been walking a tightrope, with their AI chip development targeting mainly consumer products. They have avoided setting high specs for their AI chips, most of which have been just enough to support edge applications, the sources said. For manufacturing, they use mature processes with support from advanced packaging, the sources added.
The sources said that hit with restrictions on imports and domestic developments, China's AI chip development will hardly be able to catch up with the most advanced cloud computing technology in the foreseeable future, and it is more practical for the Chinese design houses to target the edge.
Article translated by Rodney Chan
