Huge Tech large Microsoft introduced the launch of a brand new synthetic intelligence (AI) chip, the Microsoft Azure Maia AI Accelerator, in keeping with a weblog put up on Nov. 15.
The chip is designed for AI duties and generative AI and debuted alongside the Microsoft Azure Cobalt CPU, which was designed to compute workloads on Microsoft Cloud. Microsoft referred to as the 2 chips the “final puzzle piece” for Microsoft infrastructure methods.
In keeping with the announcement, the chips will arrive in early 2024, first in Microsoft’s information facilities, the place they’ll assist energy its Copilot or Azure OpenAI Service.
Scott Guthrie, govt vp of Microsoft’s Cloud + AI Group, commented on the combination of the chip into the corporate’s information facilities, saying that:
“On the scale we function, it’s essential for us to optimize and combine each layer of the infrastructure stack to maximise efficiency, diversify our provide chain and provides prospects infrastructure selection.”
The AI firm OpenAI, which is backed by Microsoft, is alleged to have supplied suggestions on the brand new Maia 100 AI Accelerator and the way its personal workloads run on prime of the brand new infrastructure.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, mentioned that these new chips will assist make their AI fashions extra “succesful” and “cheaper” for customers.
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Alongside these new Microsoft chips, the corporate additionally introduced its increasing partnerships with two of the world’s main chip producers, Nvidia and AMD. It plans to combine a number of the producers’ high-performing chips into its operations.
This information comes as many main firms within the tech and AI industries are ramping up manufacturing of semiconductor chips.
In October, Samsung revealed that it’s creating AI chips and mental property for information facilities with the Canadian startup Tenstorrent. Shortly after, there have been reviews of OpenAi contemplating making AI chips in-house.
Most not too long ago, on Oct. 22, the worldwide tech firm IBM unveiled its new AI chip, which it claims provides a 22x speedup and is reported to be extra vitality environment friendly than any present chip obtainable.
