The AI world is witnessing a potentially significant shift as DeepSeek, a rising star in the AI model development, deepens its collaboration with Huawei. This partnership sees DeepSeek's powerful AI models being deployed on Huawei's cloud service, leveraging the controversial Ascend 910x accelerators. This move could have far-reaching implications, particularly in the competitive landscape dominated by Nvidia and Western cloud providers.
DeepSeek's V3 and R1 models are now accessible through Huawei's cloud service, powered by Huawei's Ascend 910x accelerators. These accelerators, while powerful, are subject to bans in the US, EU, and UK due to concerns over their potential use in advancing military capabilities. This collaboration signifies China's ambition to achieve self-sufficiency in AI technology, reducing reliance on foreign hardware. Huawei has openly stated its ambition to become the "Chinese Nvidia," challenging Nvidia's dominance in the AI chip market.
SiliconFlow, the AI infrastructure startup hosting the DeepSeek models on Huawei Cloud, is offering remarkably low pricing:
This aggressive pricing strategy significantly undercuts the costs offered by major Western cloud providers like Microsoft Azure and Amazon AWS, who have recently begun trialing DeepSeek's models.
DeepSeek's partnership with Huawei could disrupt Nvidia's stronghold in the AI inference market. By leveraging Huawei's Ascend 910x accelerators and offering competitive pricing, DeepSeek aims to provide a cost-effective alternative for businesses seeking AI solutions.
This collaboration aligns with China's broader strategy to strengthen its domestic AI capabilities and reduce dependency on foreign technology. The South China Morning Post highlights that this move showcases China's progress in cutting dependency on foreign technology and bolstering its domestic AI industry amid growing efforts by the US to restrict China's access to high-end chips.
This move signifies a crucial development in the global AI landscape, with potential long-term implications for competition, technological autonomy, and the future of AI development.
