Huawei asks some customers to obtain AI chip memory, report says
The Information reports that the Ascend 960DT will rely largely on Samsung and SK Hynix memory, which US rules prohibit them from selling to China.
Huawei has asked some customers to arrange their own supplies of high-bandwidth memory for its next flagship AI chip, The Information reported, citing insufficient production by Chinese manufacturers. The Ascend 960DT will largely use memory from Samsung and SK Hynix, according to the report.
US export restrictions prohibit the two South Korean companies from selling that memory, known as HBM, to China. The Information based its reporting on interviews with smugglers, Huawei customers and people familiar with the supply chain. TNW said it had not independently verified the findings.
The reported smuggling route exploits a distinction between standalone memory and packages containing both memory and processors. According to The Information, intermediaries attach restricted memory to low-performance processors before shipping the packages to Hong Kong. The memory is subsequently taken into mainland China and removed, with some stacks damaged during the process.
The Information said the scale of the smuggling remained unclear. Samsung and SK Hynix told the publication they comply with export restrictions, while SK Hynix said it had made no supplies to Huawei since 2020.
Domestic production remains limited: Reuters reported in October that Chinese manufacturer CXMT had begun producing HBM3E but was achieving low yields.
