Artificial Intelligence▲impact 4
China unveils new AI supercluster at WAIC, reducing reliance on Western chips
President Xi Jinping made his first appearance at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, signalling that China is elevating artificial intelligence into a strategy to reshape global power dynamics. A key highlight was the launch of Huawei's Atlas 950 SuperPoD, an AI computing supercluster system that links thousands of Ascend AI chips via a high-speed network, demonstrating China's ability to build advanced infrastructure without relying on chips from Nvidia or other multinational manufacturers. The large language model DeepSeek V4 runs fully on this cluster, reflecting the readiness of China's AI ecosystem. Meanwhile, other Chinese chipmakers such as Biren and MetaX also unveiled new superclusters at the same event, underscoring a robust domestic technology supply chain and reduced external dependence. China also used the stage to promote a low-cost open-source AI strategy to attract developing countries, and proposed a World AI Cooperation Organisation framework to forge new alliances. The limited participation of global leaders and representatives from US IT companies reflects a shift in the centre of technological power from Silicon Valley to Shanghai.