Alibaba unveils self-developed AI chip for cloud computing division

The chip is currently being used within Alibaba to power product search, automatic translation

HANGZHOU: Alibaba said on Wednesday it has developed a new chip that specializes in machine-learning tasks and which will be used in services provided by its cloud computing division.

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The chip, called Hanguang 800, is currently being used within Alibaba to power product search, automatic translation, and personalised recommendations on the e-commerce giant’s web sites.

Alibaba has no immediate plans to sell the chip as a standalone commercial product, a company spokeswoman said.

Overseas tech giants such as Alphabet and Facebook are also developing their own custom chips, aiming to improve the performance of specialized AI tasks at company-operated data centers.

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Alibaba’s foray into the chip sector comes amid efforts by Beijing to promote China’s semiconductor industry and reduce the country’s reliance on foreign imports of core technologies.