Z.ai Launches 1-Gigawatt AI Data Center Using Only Chinese Chips
Chinese AI company Z.ai, the developer behind the GLM family of language models, has reportedly activated a 1-gigawatt AI data center constructed entirely using Chinese-made chips. According to the report, the company now operates multiple clusters, each containing around 10,000 chips, with no Nvidia hardware in the infrastructure.
The development represents a significant milestone in China's efforts to build advanced AI computing capacity amid ongoing US export restrictions on high-end semiconductor technology. By relying solely on domestically produced silicon, Z.ai demonstrates the progress Chinese firms have made in developing alternatives to Western AI accelerators.
A facility of this scale—1 gigawatt is enough power to supply a small city—underscores the enormous computational demands of training and running large AI models. The company joins other major Chinese tech firms in investing heavily in indigenous chip development as a strategic priority.