Based on the latest news, it seems ByteDance is developing a new AI model, and they’re doing it via Huawei’s chips. But what’s the big deal? Call it segmentation, explanation or ‘telling it as it is’ style of explaining things.
How does the leading Chinese global video-sharing social platform rely on Huawei?
ByteDance and other firms in the AI development industry depend on strong computer chips to train their models. These chips and more from firms like Nvidia are the powerhouse of AI as they enable the latter to ‘learn’ from troves of data. However, the current restrictions by the United States on exporting advanced AI chips to China have put pressure on chipmakers such as those that supply ByteDance to look at local options.
Nvidia’s rival, the Chinese technology company Huawei has been developing chips that while aren’t as powerful as the American company are capable of quite a lot. The exact chip which ByteDance claimed as its target is known as the Ascend 910B, it further indicated that the company could be weigh on Huwaei’s cloud division for its availabilities of the chip.
What’s going on with ByteDance ‘s AI Model?
These Huawei chips are alleged to be enabling ByteDance to work on a new AI model. But here’s where things get a bit spicy: a TikTok spokesperson, Michael Hughes, dismissed this entire idea insisting that, “It is not a new model which is being created.” Uh, okay, sure.
According to various sources, ByteDance has been already applying the Ascend 910B chips but for smaller AI processes. But for the purpose of training a ‘real’ AI, a full-blown, super-intelligent being? Indeed, that has not been decided yet. And of course, it is quite logical for them to want to build something new, and at that, we should consider the fact that to develop numerous models of advanced AI, hundreds of thousands of computing powers with some serious tech backing are warranted.
Why It All Matters
First of all, it is all happening against the background of relations between the US and China in the tech industry. By the way, in case you didn’t notice, things have been a bit chilly between these two countries recently, at least when it comes to the tech industry. The U.S. has been placing limits on selling superior AI chips to China, which has made a situation where companies such as ByteDance require in-house solutions in China, the paper.
Currently, there are only a few strong market players, such as ByteDance, Alibaba and a few others, and with generative AI now emerging the battle is intense.
Stoking the flames further is the fact that ByteDance has been in focus for scrutiny because of the fear of threats to the U.S. national security. Do you recall when it became common to hear of the possibility of TikTok being shut down in the United States? That’s still on the table. President Biden himself signed a law in the early part of this year that may see TikTok sold or outright banned. So, ByteDance is juggling a lot right now: tech wars, creation of AI, and the possible TikTok blackout.
What’s Next?
Is ByteDance really going to max out on the Huawei chips to train the new AI? Or, as it sometimes seems in some aspects of the literature and ‘texts,’ is it all just an illusion? Only time will tell.
In any case, one can see that ByteDance is doing all it can to sustain itself in the new AI race and if necessary changing gears to develop and use indigenously designed chips like Huawei. Beginning sounds more like they hurt their foot and they’re now limping towards the end — the end prize is the same but so is the journey there.
Therefore, we have to wait and see what happens next. Whether or not ByteDance’s new AI model turns out to be a reality, one thing’s for sure: it is clear that the AI world is a constantly developing one, and firms are racing against time!
