Skip to main content Tech Radar Pro Tech Radar Gaming Tech Radar Pro TechRadar the business technology experts Search TechRadar View Profile België (Nederlands) Deutschland North America US (English) Australasia New Zealand Expert Insights Website builders Web hosting Best web hosting Best office chairs Best website builder Best antivirus Expert Insights Recommended reading Report claims Nvidia will sell a special version of its most powerful GPU to China to comply with US export restrictions, but that won't be enough End of Nvidia's global dominance? Chipmaker summoned by Chinese government over security fears in H20 chips OpenAI looking beyond Nvidia's expensive GPUs as it starts to use Google's TPU AI silicon - but will it be as easy as swapping chips? China regains access to Nvidia chips after US lifts restrictions “The world has fundamentally changed” - Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang wants it to be so much more than a chip maker OpenAI's Sam Altman is dreaming of running 100 million GPUs in the future - 100x more than it plans to run by December 2025 Jensen Huang celebrates lift on some GPU export bans, labels them a "failure" Brave or foolhardy? Huawei takes the fight to Nvidia CUDA by making its Ascend AI GPU software open source Efosa Udinmwen 11 August 2025 Huawei’s CANN will need time and resources to take on Nvidia’s CUDA When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Huawei) Huawei makes its CANN AI GPU toolkit open source to challenge Nvidia’s proprietary CUDA platform CUDA’s near 20-year dominance has locked developers into Nvidia’s hardware ecosystem exclusively CANN provides multi-layer programming interfaces for AI applications on Huawei’s Ascend AI GPUs Huawei has announced plans to make its CANN software toolkit for Ascend AI GPUs open source, a move aimed squarely at challenging Nvidia’s long-standing CUDA dominance. CUDA, often described as a closed-off “moat” or “swamp,” has been viewed as a barrier for developers seeking cross-platform compatibility by some for years. Its tight integration with Nvidia hardware has locked developers into a single vendor ecosystem for nearly two decades, with all efforts to bring CUDA functionality to other GPU architectures through translation layers blocked by the company. You may like Report claims Nvidia will sell a special version of its most powerful GPU to China to comply with US export restrictions, but that won't be enough End of Nvidia's global dominance? Chipmaker summoned by Chinese government over security fears in H20 chips OpenAI looking beyond Nvidia's expensive GPUs as it starts to use Google's TPU AI silicon - but will it be as easy as swapping chips? Opening up CANN to developers CANN, short for Compute Architecture for Neural Networks, is Huawei’s heterogeneous computing framework designed to help developers create AI applications for its Ascend AI GPUs. The architecture offers multiple programming layers, giving developers options for building both high-level and performance-intensive applications. In many ways, it is Huawei’s equivalent to CUDA, but the decision to open its source code signals an intent to grow an alternative ecosystem without the restrictions of a proprietary model. Huawei has reportedly already begun discussions with major Chinese AI players, universities, research institutions, and business partners about contributing to an open-sourced Ascend development community. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. This outreach could help accelerate the creation of optimized tools, libraries, and AI frameworks for Huawei’s GPUs, potentially making them more attractive to developers who currently rely on Nvidia hardware. Huawei’s AI hardware performance has been improving steadily, with claims that certain Ascend chips can outperform Nvidia processors under specific conditions. Reports such as CloudMatrix 384’s benchmark results against Nvidia running DeepSeek R1 suggest that Huawei’s performance trajectory is closing the gap. However, raw performance alone will not guarantee developer migration without equivalent software stability and support. While open-sourcing CANN could be exciting for developers, its ecosystem is in its early stages and may not be anything close to CUDA, which has been refined for nearly 20 years. Even with open-source status, adoption may depend on how well CANN supports existing AI frameworks, particularly for emerging workloads in large language models (LLM) and AI writer tools. Huawei’s decision could have broader implications beyond developer convenience, as open-sourcing CANN aligns with China’s broader push for technological self-sufficiency in AI computing, reducing dependence on Western chipmakers. In the current environment, where U.S. restrictions target Huawei’s hardware exports, building a robust domestic software stack for AI tools becomes as critical as improving chip performance. If Huawei can successfully foster a vibrant open-source community around CANN, it could present the first serious alternative to CUDA in years. Still, the challenge lies not just in code availability, but in building trust, documentation, and compatibility at the scale Nvidia has achieved. Via Toms Hardware You might also like We've rounded up the best portable monitors available now Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app Time to ditch the pen and paper - Modus now boasts e-paper with 75Hz refresh, enough to challenge even a tablet Efosa Udinmwen Freelance Journalist Efosa has been writing about technology for over 7 years, initially driven by curiosity but now fueled by a strong passion for the field. He holds both a Master's and a PhD in sciences, which provided him with a solid foundation in analytical thinking. Efosa developed a keen interest in technology policy, specifically exploring the intersection of privacy, security, and politics. His research delves into how technological advancements influence regulatory frameworks and societal norms, particularly concerning data protection and cybersecurity. Upon joining TechRadar Pro, in addition to privacy and technology policy, he is also focused on B2B security products. Efosa can be contacted at this email: udinmwenefosa@gmail.com You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Report claims Nvidia will sell a special version of its most powerful GPU to China to comply with US export restrictions, but that won't be enough End of Nvidia's global dominance? Chipmaker summoned by Chinese government over security fears in H20 chips OpenAI looking beyond Nvidia's expensive GPUs as it starts to use Google's TPU AI silicon - but will it be as easy as swapping chips? China regains access to Nvidia chips after US lifts restrictions “The world has fundamentally changed” - Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang wants it to be so much more than a chip maker OpenAI's Sam Altman is dreaming of running 100 million GPUs in the future - 100x more than it plans to run by December 2025 Latest in Pro Bad news Microsoft workers - tech giant is "considering" remote working crackdown, and employees could be ordered back to the office soon Intel CEO set to meet President Trump following tirade of attacks and 'immediate resignation' demands MRI scans, X-rays and more leaked online in major breach - over a million healthcare devices affected, here's what we know The hidden economics of AI: balancing innovation with reality Your webcam could be hacked and hijacked into malware attacks - researchers warn Lenovo devices specifically at risk What is N8N and why does it matter for AI automation? 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