Alibaba Unveils New Processor and Open-Source Laptop Based On RISC-V Processors

Alibaba Group Holding Limited’s BABA Damo Academy is gearing up to unveil the latest addition to its XuanTie series of RISC-V processors, the C930, this year. 

This move is part of Alibaba’s strategic response to navigate the challenges of stringent U.S. trade restrictions on exporting advanced chip technologies to China. 

Previous reports indicated AMD’s X86 chip dominance faces challenges from China’s push for RISC-V architecture, a flexible, energy-efficient alternative to AMD and Intel Corp INTC.

The company announced at the XuanTie Partner Conference, where the academy showcased the potential of RISC-V processors in various applications including 5G communications, robotics, and financial services, SCMP reports.

The XuanTie series has seen significant developments since the introduction of the C910 in 2019, followed by the C920, highlighting Damo Academy’s commitment to advancing RISC-V architecture.

In addition to processors, Damo Academy revealed an open-source laptop named Ruyi Book, further emphasizing Alibaba’s investment in RISC-V technology. 

Since the debut of the C910, the XuanTie series has achieved success, with shipments surpassing 4 billion units. Zhang Jianfeng, the president of Damo Academy, underscored the burgeoning demand for computing power and the pivotal role of RISC-V in meeting this need. 

RISC-V is gaining traction as an alternative to the traditional Intel X86 and Arm Holdings Plc ARM architectures, indicating a shift towards more versatile and accessible chip technologies. 

Alibaba’s initiative to establish a RISC-V ecosystem in China by forming the “Wujian Alliance” aims to accelerate the commercialization of RISC-V innovations, inviting collaboration from global and domestic companies. 

Chinese tech companies, including Alibaba Group Holding Limited BABA and Baidu, Inc BIDU, have already jumped the RISC-V bandwagon to bypass the U.S. tech sanctions on China.

Alibaba stock has lost close to 10% last year. Investors can gain exposure to the stock via ProShares Online Retail ETF ONLN and Global X E-Commerce ETF EBIZ.

Price Action: BABA shares traded higher by 0.16% at $73.64 on the last check Tuesday.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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