Huawei reportedly teams up with Wuhan Xinxin to build HBM chips for AI projects

Huawei and Wuhan Xinxin have reportedly partnered to build HBM (high-bandwidth memory) chips for AI projects. Both firms aim to develop powerful and efficient components for artificial intelligence-based technologies amid U.S. restrictions.

Wuhan Xinxin (also known as XMC) is a Chinese semiconductor manufacturing firm founded in 2006. It offers a 12-inch wafer foundry and technical services related to 40nm, 3D flash memory chips, wafer fabrication sensors, and integrated circuits.

The Chinese tech maker has now joined forces with XMC to develop HBM chips. These processors play a vital role in AI projects due to high-performing graphics, ultra-wide communication, and low power consumption properties.

Wuhan Xinxin had issued a tender in March to establish an advanced fabrication area. This facility will be able to generate around 3000 wafers of 12 inches per month.

Apart from Wuhan Xinxin for HBM chips, Huawei has also tied up with other firms like Jiangsu and Tongfu Microelectronics that deal with integrated circuits (ICs).

These companies deliver advanced packaging tech (chip on wafer on the substrate) to pile up different chips in a single package. For instance GPUs, HBMs, and more.

Huawei Wuhan Xinxin teams up to build HBM chips (Image Credits: Huawei)

HBM chip development will ultimately help China enhance its AI and technological growth. Although it seems just the beginning and there’s still a long way to go. Huawei and its partners aim to develop HBM AI chips by 2026, according to a previous report.

ChangXin Memory Technologies has allegedly developed an HBM chip sample with Tongfu Microelectronics firm. Things will possibly ramp up in the next few years.

If succeeds, this move will aid Huawei in becoming independent in the AI sector despite U.S. challenges. China just began its journey to HBM chip. Although analysts are already keeping an eye on how the region progresses in this subject.

Huawei has already managed to drive demand for Ascend 910B in China, against Nvidia A100. Yet, it has to work hard for HBM chips to compete with opponents like Samsung and SK Hynix in the global market.

Simon Woo – the Managing Director of Asia-Pacific tech research at Bank of America Securities says:

“China’s chip supply chain is still insufficient for high-end memory fabrication, with its growth mainly focused on mid to low-end solutions.”

[Source – SCMP]