Chinese Chip Maker Releases GPU Product Line

The development of AI and HPC hardware is currently undergoing a fundamental shift, with many countries recognizing the negative ramifications that can occur when supply chains and technology dependence is based on international relations. A growing urgency for indigenously developed technology has become a staple in many ten-year technology roadmaps worldwide. At the recent Hot Chips 34 conference, Chinese firm Biren Technology announced a new GPU product line, the BR100, one of the first such devices developed in China and targeted for widespread HPC and AI markets. The Chinese advanced computing sector has been an increasingly sensitive geopolitical and economic topic over the past decade, with some domestic IT system suppliers experiencing heavy restrictions from the United States government on access to advanced computing technology from US sources. The announcement of the Biren GPU is a step toward China improving their indigenous HPC and AI capabilities from a hardware perspective, a progressive move targeted to reduce China’s dependence on US-based providers including AMD, Intel, and NVIDIA.