China Plans Unified Computing Network to Power AI Model Training,
China is moving to unify its fragmented data centers into a nationwide computing grid to support artificial intelligence applications, according to data center operators.
The Open Data Center Committee (ODCC)—a nonprofit representing major AI infrastructure investors including Alibaba Group and China Telecom—hosted a three-day conference this week focused on transforming China’s scattered facilities into a cohesive national computing network.
By the end of June, China had built 10.85 million standard AI packages—clusters of servers and tools for AI workloads—marking a 30.7% year-on-year increase, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), cited by SCMP and reported by Al Arabiya Business.
This growth is fueled by ongoing investment from state-owned telecom giants China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom, as well as private tech leaders like Tencent, Baidu, and Alibaba.
Overcoming Chip Restrictions
While cut off from advanced U.S. semiconductors, China’s data center builders are finding innovative ways to boost computing performance.
He Zikun, a member of ODCC’s networking task force, noted progress in optimizing chip-to-chip communications in server clusters that combine both domestic and foreign semiconductors—critical for training and inference, where massive amounts of data move across chips.
Backed by the Chinese Academy of Information and Communications Technology, ODCC has also established a networking lab to test connectivity between locally made chips and network switches.
“This project has laid a solid foundation for the future development of GPUs and switching chips in our country,” He said, adding that AI-driven computing power will soon be ubiquitous across China.
Building Sustainable Data Infrastructure
Li Daicheng, a member of ODCC’s facilities task force, emphasized the need for flexible, sustainable data center planning, considering land, power, water, climate resources, and the adoption of green energy.
Founded in 2014, ODCC counts around 100 member companies and organizations, including Alibaba, Baidu, Tencent, China Telecom, and China Mobile. The committee promotes openness and innovation in servers, networking, and data center infrastructure.
AI Race with the U.S.
ODCC’s growing influence reflects the intensifying AI race between the U.S. and China, as both nations ramp up plans to build AI-focused data centers to fuel model training and deployment.
The conference followed Beijing’s announcement of its “AI Plus” plan in late August, which outlined policies to strengthen coordination and expand computing resources nationwide.
