Huawei seems to nonetheless be utilizing TSMC chips regardless of US sanctions

A Canadian analysis agency known as TechInsights took a deep dive on one in every of Huawei’s synthetic intelligence accelerators and located a chip manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Firm (TSMC). Bloomberg spoke with a number of folks accustomed to the investigation who requested to stay nameless since TechInsights’ report has been launched to the general public.

The nameless sources says TechInsights’ investigation discovered an Ascend 910B chip made by TSMC in one in every of Huawei’s AI accelerators. The corporate that performed the investigation declined to remark.

Reuters reports that TechInsights knowledgeable TSMC of its findings earlier than publishing its report. This prompted TSMC to inform the US Commerce Division earlier this month. The Financial Times reports, citing folks accustomed to the matter, that TSMC advised the division {that a} buyer had positioned orders for a chip just like Huawei’s Ascend 910B. One of many FT‘s sources stated that TSMC “had spoken each to the shopper concerned and to the commerce division” after recieving the suspicious order.

The US Commerce Division carried out extra trade restrictions towards Huawei that barred the electronics firm from acquiring chips made by overseas companies. Earlier this 12 months, the US authorities tightened its restrictions even additional by revoking its licenses with Intel and Qualcomm to supply chips for its gadgets.

TSMC denied that it had a working relationship with Huawei since mid-September of 2020 in a press release offered to the Commerce Division. TSMC additionally advised Bloomberg that it hasn’t produced any chips for Huawei because of the amended restrictions. Huawei denied that it had ever “launched the 910B chip.”

This isn’t the primary time Huawei has been caught attempting to subvert US sanctions and commerce restrictions. Bloomberg additionally uncovered in Might that Huawei funded secret research in the US at universities together with Harvard by funneling the cash by means of a Washington-based scientific analysis basis known as Optica. The inspiration stated it decided to return the money in June and chief govt officers Elizabeth Rogen and Chad Stark stepped down the next August.

Replace, October 22, 7:10PM ET: This story was up to date after publish with extra particulars from the Monetary Occasions‘ reporting on the matter.