Although software development is crucial for the development of artificial intelligence systems, dedicated hardware may be even more important in ensuring that software can provide timely and comprehensive results. The following table shows the progress of patent innovation in the field of artificial intelligence chip development between China, the United States, and China over the past decade. During this period, China's annual patent innovations have been synchronized with those of the United States, and in 2019, China surpassed the United States for the first time.Domestic chipsThe development is also getting faster and faster, which cannot be separated from the efforts of countless scientists and the strong support of the government..

On August 28th, China revised its list of technologies prohibited or restricted from export for the first time in 12 years, including artificial intelligence. Even before these restrictive measures were introduced, China had already made the development of artificial intelligence systems a national priority. In the summer of 2017, the Chinese State Council released a policy blueprint, proposing the goal of building a "world's major artificial intelligence innovation center" by 2030. The plan includes ambitious software development goals, but also covers the importance of chip development, especially chips that can be used for mobile devices. A lot of research has been carried out in the Chinese Academy of Sciences, but in the market of artificial intelligence chips, it is the two graduates of this university system that set off the biggest waves.

So far, Chinese companies have been happy to meet the growing demand for artificial intelligence hardware in the Chinese market. This is in line with the urgent need for countries to become world innovation leaders in this technology. However, with the increasing global demand for artificial intelligence systems, Chinese companies may also seek to enter these markets. The new export restrictions imposed by the Chinese government will make this even more challenging. Companies with independent knowledge products can only have local advantages in China, but they will face a difficult struggle, not only to overcome internal limitations, but also to overcome external limitations, such as Huawei's encounter with Western governments. Chinese companies have a large number of patents, and domestic chips have advantages in this regard, but whether they can be transformed into astonishing commercial success remains to be seen.