Huawei to upgrade computing ecosystem
Huawei Technologies revealed several ways it is to upgrade its computing ecosystem at an event in Shanghai on Wednesday. They cover the world’s fastest AI training platform, US$1.5 billion investment in the developer community, and cloud used in various industries and non-profit projects to bring digital benefits to 500 million people globally.
The company was forced to develop its own operating system and related ecosystem after it was added to the US "Entity List" of banned foreign companies last year. The ban forbids US tech firms such as Google and Intel offering chips and systems to Huawei, unless with special permission.
The US$2 trillion computing market offers huge potential for firms like Huawei, Ken Hu, its deputy chairman, told the Huawei Connect 2019 event.
"We'll keep investing with a strategy that focuses on key areas. We will push the boundaries of architecture, invest in processors for all scenarios, keep clear business boundaries, and build an open ecosystem."
Releases during the three-day event will help Huawei enhance and consolidate its own ecosystem based on a self-developed operating system called Harmony or Hong Meng in Chinese, industry insiders said.
It released the world's fastest AI training cluster, known as Atlas 900, on the opening day of the event. The new AI cluster combines the power of thousands of Huawei’s Ascend processors, and will make AI technology more readily available in fields such as scientific research and business innovation.
Currently, the world’s leading AI training clusters are offered by Google and Nvidia. The AI cluster represents the top and full-stack technology development level as it requires complicated calculations, connections, software and ecosystems.
Huawei also said it will invest US$1.5 billion in its developer program over the next five years, as it seeks to build a sturdy and open ecosystem as part of its computing strategy.
Currently, Huawei has about 1.3 million developers, with that number expected to hit 5 million in five years, including some developers for its own operating system, Huawei said.
Besides financial support, Huawei will also offer cloud, AI training platforms and calculation to support developers, including many from overseas regions. It will offer reasonable and attractive revenue-sharing business models to boost the whole ecosystem, Hu said during a Q&A session.
Huawei also announced a TECH4ALL project, with NGOs on health education and environment protection, to bring benefits to 500 million people globally through digital economy development.
A roadmap of next-generation processors was also shown during the event, including Huawei’s self-developed Kirin processors.
More cooperation projects in AI, 5G and cloud will be announced during the event, which will end on Friday.
Huawei holds a key event in Shanghai to reveal its ecosystem upgrading strategy.
