Moonshot AI runs Kimi on 20,000 Nvidia GPUs via Alibaba

Moonshot AI has secured access to a cluster of roughly 20,000 Nvidia chips through Alibaba, according to a Bloomberg News report, with the computing arrangement serving as the backbone for its flagship Kimi AI model. The setup underscores how Chinese AI developers are leaning on domestic cloud providers to obtain the processing power needed for large-model training as U.S. export controls restrict direct access to advanced semiconductors. Alibaba, a major backer of Moonshot, requires portfolio companies to use its cloud services, the report said. Alibaba disputed part of the account, with a spokesperson telling Reuters that claims it is supplying H200 chips to Moonshot are "completely unfounded." Bloomberg later reported that sources identified the chips as H200s, while Alibaba denied providing H200s but did not deny cooperation involving about 20,000 Nvidia chips. Reuters said it could not independently verify the arrangement. Bloomberg also reported that Kimi has exceeded Alibaba’s Qwen on some key metrics. The earlier report said Moonshot may be able to access Nvidia’s Blackwell chips through Southeast Asia and is seeking additional semiconductors for future models. Moonshot, formally known as YueZhiAnMian, has emerged as one of China’s most closely watched AI startups, with investors treating access to large-scale compute as a key factor in its ability to compete with rivals including Baidu and ByteDance. For Alibaba, the arrangement helps lock an AI customer into its cloud ecosystem while supporting its broader push to justify heavy investment in AI infrastructure amid competition from Huawei and Tencent.