Huawei Technologies is developing a new general-purpose artificial-intelligence chip intended to perform a wider range of training and inference tasks than its current Ascend lineup, according to The Information. The more flexible design is aimed at domestic cloud providers and software developers that have struggled to obtain Nvidia’s advanced GPUs because of U.S. export controls. People familiar with the plan said Huawei wants the forthcoming processor to narrow Nvidia’s dominant position in China’s AI hardware market. The company is also preparing to export the chips to customers in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, broadening its overseas semiconductor business despite continuing U.S. sanctions. The initiative aligns with a push from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, whose officials this week urged local champions such as Cambricon and BOE Technology to step up research spending to accelerate national progress in artificial intelligence.