Shares of Chinese artificial intelligence chipmakers are seeing mixed trading on Monday as investors digest a fresh wave of first-half earnings, highlighting a growing profitability divide among the country’s graphics processing unit (GPU) champions.MetaX Integrated Circuits saw its Shanghai-listed stock rise 1.4 per cent to 684.5 yuan by the midday break after reporting a swing to profitability late on Sunday. Cross-town rival Biren Technology surged 10.7 per cent to HK$43.44 in Hong Kong, while Iluvatar Corex dropped 6.7 per cent to HK$370.2 in Hong Kong.The stock moves followed reports of a pivotal half-year for domestic chip designers, who are beginning to reap financial rewards from Beijing’s push for tech self-sufficiency and an aggressive national AI infrastructure buildout.MetaX, which made a high-profile debut on Shanghai’s Star Market in December, posted a net profit of 612 million yuan (US$90.9 million) for the first six months, reversing a loss of 186 million yuan a year earlier.Biren Technology chairman and CEO Zhang Wen at the company’s listing ceremony in Hong Kong, January 2, 2026. Photo: Jonathan WongFirst-half revenue jumped 44.7 per cent to 1.32 billion yuan, driven by widespread customer adoption and a sharp increase in GPU shipments, according to its stock exchange filing on Sunday evening.Founded in 2020 by a team of former executives from US chip firm Advanced Micro Devices, MetaX has emerged as one of China’s most closely watched GPU developers as domestic firms race to build alternatives to Nvidia’s AI chips.