Huawei Ascend 960 SuperPoD uses NPO technology to power next-generation AI infra (technode.com)

At Huawei CONNECT 2026, the company unveiled the Ascend 960 SuperPoD, a groundbreaking AI infrastructure that utilizes Near-Packaged Optics (NPO) technology. This innovative system is designed to tackle the scalability challenges faced by AI models, particularly those reaching 10-trillion-parameter scales. Unlike traditional setups that rely on multiple servers, the SuperPoD integrates up to 4,096 Neural Processing Unit (NPU) cards and connects computing nodes through high-speed interconnects, effectively allowing them to function as a single entity. This approach addresses significant bottlenecks in data communication between chips, which can dominate training times in large AI clusters. The significance of the Ascend 960 SuperPoD lies not only in its impressive specifications, which include up to 8E FP8 computing power and 1PB of high-bandwidth memory, but also in the NPO technology that enhances transmission efficiency. By positioning optical components closer to chips, Huawei reduces the need for extensive copper connections and decreases power consumption by over 550kW compared to traditional systems. This holistic rethinking of AI infrastructure—from chips to system architecture—marks a pivotal shift in how computing resources are integrated, pointing towards a future where the performance of AI is defined not just by individual chip capabilities but by the seamless collaboration of a comprehensive computing ecosystem.