Huawei’s Ascend AI accelerators have reportedly captured more than 50% of China’s market, a sharp reversal from 2022, when Nvidia was estimated to hold about 95% of the segment. Nvidia’s current share is said to be around 8%, though the reported figures do not specify whether they are based on revenue, shipments, or another market measure.
The estimates concern AI accelerators used for artificial-intelligence workloads, including data-center infrastructure, rather than Huawei’s Kirin smartphone processors. Huawei had already said at Huawei Connect 2026 that Ascend had overtaken Nvidia in China’s local AI accelerator market, without disclosing a percentage.
US restrictions and licensing requirements for exports of advanced chips to China have reduced Nvidia’s access to Chinese customers, creating room for domestic suppliers. Huawei’s reported share would be far above the roughly 3% attributed to Ascend in 2022.
Market share alone does not establish that Ascend accelerators outperform Nvidia alternatives. Product availability and customers’ ability to procure hardware also influence purchasing decisions, particularly in a market affected by export controls.
Huawei is preparing further Ascend generations as it seeks to strengthen its position in China. The reported shift remains specific to China rather than the global AI-chip market, and the key question is whether Huawei can sustain demand with competitive hardware and software as Nvidia’s access to the country remains constrained.
