Is Alibaba's new AI chip timed to steal Nvidia's thunder?

Chinese tech giant unveils domestically built processor hours before the US chipmaker's hotly anticipated results Whether by coincidence or design, Alibaba chose to unveil its latest artificial intelligence chip just hours before Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA, XETRA:NVD), the dominant force in AI processors, reports one of the most closely watched sets of quarterly results this earnings season. The timing puts a spotlight on the intensifying competition Nvidia faces, not just from Chinese rivals building domestic alternatives under the pressure of US export curbs, but from an increasingly crowded field of Western challengers too.