In a significant stride towards advancing its foothold in the artificial intelligence sector, AMD announced the launch of new AI chips on Monday. The announcement, made during a keynote at the Computex tech conference in Taipei, signifies AMD’s commitment to becoming a leader in the AI technology landscape, competing directly with major players such as Nvidia and Intel.
$NVDA climbing and $AMD giving up earlier gains after both companies unveiled new #AI chips. @Kantrowitz weighs in: pic.twitter.com/XWZzFehKcS
— CNBC's Closing Bell (@CNBCClosingBell) June 3, 2024
Lisa Su, AMD’s chair and CEO, emphasized the importance of AI in the company’s strategy, stating, “AI is our number one priority and we’re at the beginning of an incredibly exciting time for the industry as AI transforms virtually every business, improves our quality of life, and reshapes every part of the computing market.” This declaration underscores the transformative potential AMD envisions AI holds across various sectors.
During her address, Su introduced the Ryzen AI 300 series, designed specifically for next-generation AI laptops. This series is expected to be a direct competitor to Intel’s Lunar Lake and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X. Moreover, in a collaborative effort with Microsoft, these chips will feature in laptops that incorporate Microsoft’s AI chatbot, Copilot, enhancing their capabilities significantly.
There's no such thing as "too soon."
Nvidia and AMD recently unveiled new AI chips, both announcements coming just months after previous releases. https://t.co/c4XfM1Pbi9
— Axios (@axios) June 3, 2024
AMD also took the wraps off its Ryzen 9000 series for desktops, which Su described as “the world’s fastest consumer PC processors,” aimed at elevating the gaming and content creation experience. Both the Ryzen AI 300 and Ryzen 9000 series are slated for release in July, following AMD’s April announcement of new processors capable of running AI workloads, including the Ryzen Pro 8040 for laptops and Ryzen Pro 8000 for desktops.
The race among chip firms to develop faster and more robust processors is intensifying, with AMD and Nvidia at the forefront. Nvidia recently introduced its next-generation AI chip, “Rubin,” following its “Blackwell” model unveiled in March. Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, has committed to accelerating the pace of innovation by announcing new AI chip technology annually, a shift from the previous biennial schedule. AMD is adopting a similar yearly update cycle.
Further details were provided by AMD about its data center chip roadmap, highlighting the Instinct MI325X accelerators, an enhanced version of the MI300 series expected to be available in the fourth quarter. The roadmap also includes the Instinct MI350 series, set for a 2025 release and built on next-generation architecture, with the Instinct MI400 series following in 2026.
2. 🤖AMD Reveals New AI Chips
AMD announces "MI325X" accelerator for late 2024, and "MI350" and "MI400" series for 2025 and 2026, challenging Nvidia. Committing to annual AI chip updates, the MI350 series promises 35x better AI performance. pic.twitter.com/g3ShSsbKrn
— AI Expert (@the_aiatlas) June 3, 2024
Additionally, Su previewed the latest fifth-generation EPYC server processors, anticipated to launch in the latter half of this year. These processors aim to continue the legacy of performance and efficiency that the AMD EPYC processor family is known for.
AMD, like Nvidia, does not manufacture its own chips. Instead, it relies on outsourcing the manufacturing to foundries, primarily to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the world’s largest contract chipmaker. The new Ryzen AI 300, Ryzen 9000, and fifth-generation EPYC chips will all utilize the latest “Zen 5” architecture.
Su’s closing remarks highlighted the broad scope of the upcoming Zen 5 architecture, projecting its application across supercomputers, data centers, and PCs. This expansive integration underscores AMD’s ambitious vision to lead and innovate within the AI-driven technological landscape.
Major Points
- AMD announced new AI-focused chips at the Computex tech conference, emphasizing AI as their top priority.
- The new Ryzen AI 300 series for AI laptops will compete with Intel’s Lunar Lake and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X, featuring integration with Microsoft’s AI chatbot Copilot.
- AMD also introduced the Ryzen 9000 series for desktops, claiming it as the world’s fastest consumer PC processor for gaming and content creation.
- The company detailed its future roadmap, including data center chips like the Instinct MI325X and the upcoming fifth-generation EPYC server processors.
- AMD is matching Nvidia’s accelerated innovation pace by planning annual releases for new AI chip technology, outsourcing manufacturing to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company.
Lap Fu Ip – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
