Huawei has introduced what it describes as the world’s first 3D data center, designed to support the growing demands of large-scale artificial intelligence workloads.

The company unveiled the new data center at the 2026 AIDC (Artificial Intelligence Data Center) Industry Development Conference On-site Meeting in Wuhu, Anhui, China. Huawei also announced a new 3D Data Center Overview Design Library aimed at helping the industry develop advanced AI infrastructure.

Huawei Unveils 3D Data Center With 100,000 Ascend Supernode Cards

The company developed the new-generation data center around a three-dimensional architecture. Instead of placing all major systems side by side, the design stacks different functional areas vertically.

The four-layer structure includes a cooling layer, an IT equipment layer, a power supply layer and a backup power layer. Huawei says this approach can help improve the management of high-density computing facilities while reducing the impact of failures between different sections.

The design also addresses compatibility challenges that can arise when data centers use different types of AI chips.

Built for 100,000 Ascend Cards

The 3D data center is designed around 100,000 Huawei Ascend supernode cards. The company says the architecture can support large supercomputing clusters and provide a reference design for future AI computing facilities.

Huawei Vice Chairman and Rotating Chairman Wang Tao said the rapid growth of large AI models and token demand is putting greater pressure on computing infrastructure. He noted that Ascend supernode clusters containing more than 100,000 cards could become a basic configuration for future AI computing systems.

This level of computing requires data centers to handle much higher demands for electricity, cooling and physical space. Huawei’s 3D architecture is designed to address these challenges through vertical integration of critical systems.

Focus on Power and Cooling

High-density computing has become increasingly difficult for conventional data centers. As AI workloads grow, computing cabinets are consuming more power and generating more heat.

Huawei Senior Vice President and Executive Supervisor Ren Shulu highlighted the growing challenge. According to Huawei, cabinet power has already reached around 100 kilowatts to 200 kilowatts and is expected to increase further.

The company says its 3D data center can provide shorter routes for power and cooling systems. The design is also intended to improve heat dissipation and energy efficiency.

Another focus is reliability. Huawei says the layered architecture can provide physical isolation between different systems, helping limit the spread of faults and improving overall reliability.

New Design Library for AI Data Centers

Alongside the 3D data center, Huawei introduced its 3D Data Center Overview Design Library.

The library covers several areas of data center construction and operation. These include computing power, transformation, data center reconstruction, value improvements, and changes in infrastructure design.

It also provides guidance covering systems such as water supply, HVAC, and high- and low-voltage electrical infrastructure.

Huawei says the library can serve as a reference for organizations planning large AI computing facilities.

AI Infrastructure Enters a New Phase

The launch comes as AI models continue to require larger amounts of computing power. Training and running increasingly complex models requires data centers that can provide high computing density while managing power consumption and heat.

Huawei’s new approach attempts to address these requirements by treating the data center as a vertically integrated system rather than simply expanding its physical footprint.

The company expects the 3D architecture and its design library to provide a foundation for building future large-scale AI computing centers.