China’s analogue AI chip runs 12 times as fast on 1/200th the energy of digital rivals

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Ling XinJanuary 23, 2026 at 07:00 AM
China’s analogue AI chip runs 12 times as fast on 1/200th the energy of digital rivals

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Researchers at Peking University in China have developed an analogue AI chip that significantly outperforms digital processors in speed and energy efficiency. Published in Nature Communications, the study details how the chip achieved a 12-fold speed increase and a 200-fold improvement in energy efficiency compared to advanced digital processors. The chip has moved beyond basic math and can now handle real-world applications like personalized recommendations and image processing. Tests using data sets comparable to Netflix and Yahoo demonstrated the chip's capabilities in training recommendation systems. Furthermore, in image compression tests, the chip reconstructed images with similar visual quality while reducing storage needs by half. The development aims to reshape AI systems' dependence on power-intensive digital processors.

Keywords

analogue ai chip 100% artificial intelligence 80% energy efficiency 70% digital processors 60% analogue computing 50% recommendation systems 50% image processing 50% peking university 40% sun zhong 40%

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South China Morning Post
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Center-Right (0.50)
Far LeftCenterFar Right
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90%

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