Okay, so everybody knows Huawei, right?
Like they make smartphones, but get this,
they're jumping into the world of GPUs.
Wow.
Those chips that power everything
from like the sickest video games
to like crazy complex AI.
Yeah.
We're talking about like going right after the biggest name
in the business in Vidya.
It's definitely a big move for sure.
So I don't think most people really understand
like what a GPU is.
Right.
Can you break that down for us?
Yeah, so GPU stands for Graphics Processing Unit.
And it's basically the brains behind all visual computing.
Okay.
So when you're looking at those like crazy graphics
and video games, it's the GPU that's doing all the heavy lifting.
Oh, okay.
But it's not just games anymore.
Yeah.
GPUs are also becoming super important for things like AI
and machine learning, which are like changing the game
in so many different industries.
Okay, so speaking of changing the game,
and Vidya has been on top for a while now.
Yeah, they've been the king for a while.
So what's their secret?
Well, I think it's a few things.
Okay.
They make super powerful hardware.
Right.
But they've also built this incredible software ecosystem
around it.
Okay.
It's like, think of it like this,
like imagine you buy a super car.
Okay.
But there are no roads to drive it on.
That's what it would be like to have a GPU
without like good software to support it.
So for example, in Vidya has this platform called CUDA.
Right.
And it's become like the industry standard
for a lot of developers working in like AI
or scientific computing.
Yeah, CUDA, that sounds familiar.
I've heard that before.
Yeah.
So is Huawei trying to make like their own version of CUDA?
Well, not exactly.
Okay.
I don't think they're gonna like directly compete
with Nvidia's ecosystem.
Instead, they're kind of focusing on specific areas
where they see a chance to do something different.
So like picking their battles.
Yeah, exactly.
Instead of trying to win the whole war.
Exactly.
They're looking at it saying,
okay, where can we make a difference?
Where can we offer something unique?
Got it.
And one of those areas is in training large scale AI models.
Okay, so break that down for me.
So think of those like huge AI models
that power like self-driving cars
or that analyze medical images.
Right.
Those models need massive amounts of data
and processing power to train.
Okay.
And that's where Huawei is trying to make a splash
with their new GPU.
Oh, okay.
The Ascend 920C.
Okay, so let's get into this Ascend 920C.
Okay.
What's the deal?
Is it just another GPU or are they doing something
like totally radical with this?
Well, this is where it gets really interesting.
Okay.
They actually designed this whole new architecture
from the ground up,
specifically optimized for like AI and machine learning.
Wow.
It's like they built a Formula One race car
for the AI track.
Okay.
While Nvidia is still using like a modified street car.
Got it.
Both can get around the track,
but the race car is designed for pure speed and efficiency.
Okay, I love that analogy.
So it's not just about raw power,
it's about using that power efficiently for the right task.
Exactly.
Okay.
And the early benchmarks suggest
that's Huawei might be onto something.
They're saying the Ascend 920C can handle
these massive AI workloads much faster
than Nvidia's top chips.
Hold on.
Are you saying they're saying they can beat Nvidia
in the area where Nvidia is supposed to be the...
That's exactly what they're saying.
Whoa.
And some early tests seem to back it up.
Really?
Of course we'll need to see more tests
in like real world applications.
Sure.
To know for sure, but it's definitely a big statement.
Yeah.
That's definitely getting people's attention.
For sure.
Okay.
So, but let's talk about the elephant in the room here.
Sure.
The US sanctions against Huawei.
Yeah.
Like how are they making cutting edge chips
like this with those restrictions in place?
I mean, it's a real testament to their commitment
to innovation.
Yeah.
Even with all these challenges,
they've been investing heavily in chip manufacturing,
develop on their own technologies
to not have to rely on foreign suppliers.
Though they're not just competing in the GPU market.
They're trying to become more self-sufficient.
Yeah.
It's a multi-layered story for sure.
Yeah.
And it's impressive that they can develop
this level of technology while dealing with all that.
It really is.
Yeah.
Okay.
So we've talked about AI, but what about gaming?
Are they going after Nvidia's GeForce line too?
Well, their main focus is AI for sure.
Okay.
But they're not ignoring gamers.
Okay.
The Ascent 920C has some cool features for gaming.
Okay.
Like AI powered rendering.
Hmm.
That could make visuals even better.
Hold on.
Are they saying they can make games look better
than Nvidia's RTX cards?
Well, they're definitely hinting at that.
They're talking about using AI to create
more realistic lighting and shadows and reflections.
Okay.
And even generate like whole scenes or characters
in real time.
Okay.
Now that is straight out of a sci-fi movie, AI
creating game worlds in real time.
Pretty wild.
That's crazy.
Yeah.
But let's be real here.
Yeah.
They're entering a market where everyone knows Nvidia.
Right.
Like gamers are loyal to their brands.
Yeah.
How are they going to break through?
Well, they're taking a page from their smartphone playbook.
Okay.
How so?
Focusing on affordability.
Oh, okay.
They're aiming to offer similar performance
to Nvidia's high-end GPUs.
Okay.
But at a much lower price.
So like the bang for your buck approach.
Exactly.
Appealing to gamers who want the best performance
but don't want to spend a fortune.
Exactly.
And that worked really well for them with smartphones.
It did.
It'll be interesting to see if it works in the gaming world.
Yeah, for sure.
I'm already seeing how this could shake things up.
Definitely.
But there's so much more to this story.
We've only stretched the surface.
Yeah, for sure.
Like what happens if hallway actually challenges
Nvidia's dominance?
What does that mean for the whole tech world?
That's a great question.
Yeah.
And that's exactly what we're going to explore
in part two of this deep dive.
Okay.
I'm hooked.
This is already one of the most interesting deep dives
we've done.
I think so too.
So listeners get ready to go even deeper
into the world of GPUs and AI.
It definitely.
And global tech rivalries in part two.
It's going to be.
We'll be right back.
Okay, so we're back and ready to keep digging
into this whole Huawei GPU thing.
Last time we were talking about like what happens
if they actually challenge Nvidia.
Right.
What could that mean for the whole tech world?
Yeah, that's the big question, isn't it?
Yeah, it is.
It's kind of like dropping a pebble in a pond.
The ripple spread out and the effects can be felt
like way beyond that initial impact.
So where do we even start?
Well, one of the most immediate things would be
like the effect on the industry itself.
Okay.
Like more competition is almost always a good thing
for consumers.
Yeah, like that saying, a rising tide lifts all boats.
Exactly.
Everyone wins when there's good competition.
Right.
And especially in tech where everything's changing so fast.
Yeah.
That competition is what keeps pushing the boundaries
of what's possible.
But it's not just out like faster chips and cheaper prices.
No, definitely not.
There's a bigger picture here,
especially with like all the geopolitics involved.
Absolutely.
Huawei's pushed to make their own chips and AI hardware.
Right.
It's all part of China's big plan to become a leader in tech.
Right.
So if Huawei wins, it's a win for China too.
Yeah, you could definitely see it that way.
And that's kind of freaking out the US
and other Western countries.
Really?
Yeah, they see Huawei's success as a threat
to their own tech dominance.
So this is about more than just like money in market share.
Oh yeah.
It's like a tech arms race.
It's definitely got that element to it for sure.
Wow.
Control over these technologies is super important these days.
Right.
It affects everything from national security
to like how competitive a country is economically.
This is starting to sound like a spy movie or something.
It is pretty wild.
Okay, but let's zoom out for a second
and think about the average person.
Okay.
How does all this affect like our everyday lives?
Well, on the one hand,
it could lead to some amazing advancements
that benefit everyone.
Okay, like what?
Like imagine faster medical breakthroughs.
Okay.
More efficient transportation systems.
Right.
Or even like personalized education
toiler to how you learn best.
Okay, that sounds amazing.
Personalized education.
Yeah.
Sign me up.
But of course there are always potential downsides.
Right, like what?
One of the big worries is like jobs being replaced by AI.
Yeah, I've heard about that.
Like AI taking over jobs.
Yeah, as AI gets more sophisticated,
it could start doing a lot of the jobs that people do now.
And it's not just like factory jobs
or truck drivers, right?
No, not at all.
AI is already being used in like finance and law.
Exactly.
Wow.
And that raises all sorts of ethical questions.
Like what?
Like how do we make sure AI is used ethically?
Right.
And doesn't just make existing inequalities worse.
Yeah.
How do we protect people's privacy?
Right.
Make sure their data isn't being misused.
These are big questions.
They are.
And we need to be thinking about them now.
Absolutely.
Not waiting until it's too late.
We need to have these conversations now.
Yeah.
And we need to have everyone ethicists, policy makers,
the public.
So it's not just about the technology.
It's about the impact it has on society.
Exactly.
OK.
And one thing I find really interesting
is what this could mean for scientific research.
OK.
Like if powerful GPUs become more affordable,
it could give smaller research labs and universities
the ability to do groundbreaking experiments,
analyze huge data sets that they couldn't access before.
So it could actually make scientific discovery
more accessible to everyone.
Exactly.
It's like giving everyone the tools
to explore the universe.
I love that idea.
Yeah.
It's exciting.
OK.
But let's get back to Huawei for a minute.
OK.
They have a long way to go if they really
want to take on Nvidia.
Yeah, they do.
What are the biggest challenges they face?
Well, like we talked about before,
the US sanctions are a huge obstacle.
Right.
They're still in place.
Yeah.
They've found ways to work around them.
But it's a constant struggle to get the components they need.
Yeah.
And the manufacturing capacity.
Right.
It's like running a marathon with weights on your ankles.
Exactly.
But even if they get past that, they still
have to build a whole ecosystem around their GPUs.
That's exactly right.
Like Nvidia's success isn't just about their hardware.
Nope.
It's about everything they've built around it.
Right.
The software, the developers, the partnership.
It's a huge advantage for Nvidia.
Yeah.
And Huawei needs to figure out how to catch up.
So they need to make great hardware,
but also convince developers and gamers
to use their platform.
The tall order.
It sounds like a huge challenge.
It is.
But Huawei is known for being pretty tenacious.
They are.
They've surprised people before.
Yeah.
So I wouldn't count them out.
Never underestimate them.
OK.
So let's shift gears a bit and talk about gaming.
OK.
We've talked about some of the features of the SN920C.
But can they really compete with Nvidia and AMD
in the gaming world?
Yeah.
That's the big question for gamers, isn't it?
Yeah.
The specs look good on paper.
OK.
But the gaming world is tough.
Right.
Gamers are passionate.
Yeah.
And they expect a lot.
High standards.
Yeah.
When it comes to performance and graphics
and just the whole experience.
So what does Huawei need to do to win over gamers?
It's a tricky balance.
OK.
Obviously performance is key.
Right.
Gamers want smooth frame rates and amazing visuals.
Yeah.
And no lag.
But it's also about the whole package, the software,
the drivers, the community, the games.
All of that matters.
It's not just about the specs.
Nope.
It's about how it all comes together in the actual game.
Exactly.
And that's where Huawei has a tough road ahead.
Yeah.
Nvidia and AMD have a huge head start.
Right.
They spent years building relationships
with game developers, optimizing their drivers,
building a loyal fan base.
It's going to be hard to catch up.
So how do they even start?
Well, they're trying to be strategic.
OK.
How so?
One thing they're doing is partnering with game developers.
OK.
Giving them incentives to optimize their games
for Huawei's hardware.
OK.
They're also investing in their own gaming ecosystem,
making tools and resources for developers
to make it easier to bring games to their platform.
So trying to make it easy for developers to work with them.
Exactly.
But what about the gamers themselves?
Right.
How are they going to attract players?
Well, they're focusing on two things.
OK.
Affordability.
Right.
And innovation.
OK.
Like we talked about before, they're
aiming to offer similar performance to Nvidia and AMD,
but at a lower price.
OK.
And they're also really pushing the AI-powered features.
Yeah.
Promising more realistic graphics,
a more immersive experience.
Right.
Even new ways to play games using AI.
So they're trying to appeal to both budget-conscious gamers
and the hardcore enthusiasts.
Exactly.
Trying to cover all the bases.
It's a bold strategy.
It is.
We'll have to see if it pays off.
Time will tell.
But they're definitely shaking things up.
Oh, yeah.
We'll be keeping an eye on this, for sure.
Definitely.
OK.
So beyond the marketing and the hype,
what are the real implications of Huawei entering
the gaming market?
Yeah.
Could this really change the whole gaming landscape?
I think that's what's so fascinating about this.
Yeah.
It's not just a new GPU.
Right.
It's about how it could change the way
we play and experience games.
So it's not just about better graphics.
Nope.
It's about the evolution of gaming itself.
Exactly.
Wow.
And that's what we'll be exploring in part three
of this deep dive.
OK.
We'll look at how Halle's Tech could actually
change the future of gaming.
I'm excited to do this.
Yeah.
OK.
So listeners, get ready to level up
your understanding of gaming.
For sure.
As we continue our deep dive into Huawei's GPU revolution.
OK.
So we're back, and it's time for the final part of our deep
dive into Huawei's GPU ambitions.
Yeah.
We've covered a lot like the tech specs,
the whole China US thing.
Right.
But now let's talk about gaming.
Yeah.
You know, it's what I'm most interested in.
Of course.
So you were saying earlier that Huawei getting into gaming
could be a real game changer.
It really could.
No pit intended.
Exactly.
But OK, we've talked about the AI features
and how they're going to be cheaper.
But how's that actually going to work?
Like how could Huawei's tech really change the way games
look and feel?
Well, one big area is graphics.
OK.
We've seen what Nvidia's RTX can do with ray tracing
and all that.
Yeah, it looks amazing.
But Huawei's taking it up a notch.
How so?
By basically adding AI into the whole rendering process.
Since instead of just using raw power,
they're making the rendering smarter.
Yeah, that's the idea.
They're talking about using AI to predict and generate
realistic lighting and shadows and reflections.
OK.
But using way less processing power to do it.
So games could look even better than they do now.
Potentially way better.
Wow.
OK, I'm already picturing these crazy realistic game worlds.
Yeah.
But what about the gameplay itself?
Could AI actually change how games are played?
Oh, absolutely.
How so?
One of the most exciting things is using AI to make game
worlds more dynamic and responsive.
OK, listen.
Imagine enemies that adapt to your play style.
OK.
Levels that change based on the choices you make.
Oh, wow.
Characters that actually feel like real people.
That would be incredible.
It's like those old games where you had to memorize
enemy patterns.
Right.
But now the game is learning as you play.
Exactly.
It's taking that to a whole new level.
Games can become less about following a script.
OK.
And more about exploring these emergent possibilities.
So it's not just about making games prettier.
Nope.
It's about making them smarter.
Yeah, and more engaging.
This reminds me of when VR first came out.
Right.
Everyone was so excited about the potential.
Yeah.
But the tech just wasn't there yet.
Yeah.
Is this different?
Can Huawei actually deliver on all this?
I think that's the million dollar question.
Yeah.
We've heard a lot of hype about AI in gaming.
Right.
But this time it feels different.
OK.
Why?
The technology has come a long way.
OK.
And these new GPUs are crazy powerful.
So you're saying this is not just a marketing gimmick.
I really don't think so.
OK.
We need to see how it works in actual games, of course.
Sure.
But the potential is definitely there.
OK.
So let's say Huawei pulls it off.
OK.
They deliver on everything they're promising.
Right.
They build a real gaming ecosystem.
Gamers love their stuff.
OK.
Is that the end of Nvidia?
Well, I wouldn't count Nvidia out just yet.
OK.
They're a tough competitor.
Right.
They've been around forever.
Yeah.
They know what they're doing.
So maybe not the end, but a big shift in the landscape.
Yeah.
I think that's more likely.
OK.
We're going to see multiple companies fighting
for the top spot in gaming.
And that's good for gamers, right?
Definitely.
More competition, better games, lower prices.
Exactly.
A rising tide lifts all boats.
Love that analogy.
But in this case, the tide is AI and the boats
are full of gamers.
That's a good one.
And it's not just about the big companies either.
Right.
Cheaper, powerful GPUs could help smaller developers
make amazing games too.
Yeah.
It could be a golden age for indie games.
So more creativity, more innovation.
Exactly.
I like where this is going.
Me too.
But OK, let's be realistic for a second.
OK.
Besides building that gaming ecosystem,
what other challenges could hallway face?
Well, one big one is that the gaming world is kind of a mess.
What do you mean?
You've got different platforms, different operating systems,
different hardware.
It's hard to make something that works perfectly
with everything.
So it's not just about the tech itself.
It's about making sure it works with all the other stuff
that's already out there.
Exactly.
They can't just release a GPU and expect everything
to magically work.
Nope.
They need to figure out how to fit into the existing ecosystem.
It's going to take a lot of work.
Yeah, sounds like it.
A lot of partnerships.
It's not going to happen overnight.
Definitely not.
Well, it seems like Huawei has a long road ahead.
They do.
But they've overcome challenges before.
That's true.
So I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.
It's going to be interesting to watch.
That's for sure.
That's the exciting part, right?
Exactly.
We're seeing the future of gaming being shaped right
before our eyes.
And we have no idea where it's going.
Yeah.
And I think we've given our listeners a lot to think about.
I hope so.
So as we wrap up this deep dive, what's
the one thing you want everyone to remember?
I think the most important thing is to be open-minded.
OK.
And to embrace the possibilities.
Yeah.
Technology is always changing.
That's for sure.
And gaming is changing right along with it.
Right.
We're entering a whole new era of gaming.
Yeah.
And it's up to all of us to decide what that future looks like.
That's a great way to put it.
And I think that's a perfect place to end our discussion.
So to all our listeners out there,
thanks for joining us on this deep dive.
Stay curious.
Keep exploring.
And game on.
ARY diese