Tech war: China claims AI chip progress as Loongson unveils CPUs amid self-sufficiency push
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The new processors, designated 2K3000 and 3B6000M, share identical silicon but differ in packaging; one for industrial control applications and the other for mobile devices. Both integrate eight Loongson's central processing unit (CPU) cores, which are based on its LoongArch instruction set architecture.
For graphics performance, the chips are embedded with the company's self-developed, general-purpose computing on graphics processing units (GPGPU). Loongson claims this GPU delivers a 'multiple-fold improvement' over its predecessor, providing enhanced general-purpose computing and AI acceleration capabilities.
'Building upon our established foundation in general-purpose and graphics processors, Loongson has entered a new era of intensive AI processor development,' the company said. 'This represents a new leap toward establishing a self-sufficient information technology ecosystem.'
Loongson is a flagship player in China's effort to reduce reliance on Western technology. Photo: Shutterstock Images
Software ecosystems to support the new chip are currently being finalised. Dozens of manufacturers specialising in industrial control systems and information technology solutions have already started integrating the processors into their product designs.
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