Microsoft to Offer Cloud Customers AMD AI Chips, Preview New Cobalt 100 Processors at Build Conference

Microsoft to Offer AMD AI Chips for Cloud Computing, Preview New Cobalt 100 Processors at Build Conference

Microsoft announced on Thursday its plans to provide its cloud computing customers with a platform of AMD artificial intelligence chips, aiming to compete with Nvidia’s offerings. The details of this new platform will be revealed at the upcoming Build developer conference next week.

In addition to the AMD AI chips, Microsoft will also launch a preview of its new Cobalt 100 custom processors at the conference. These processors are said to offer 40% better performance compared to other processors based on Arm Holdings’ technology.

The clusters of AMD’s flagship MI300X AI chips will be available through Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing service, providing customers with an alternative to Nvidia’s H100 GPUs. These chips are designed to handle the training and running of large AI models, offering a powerful solution for companies looking to build AI models or run applications.

Microsoft’s cloud computing unit also offers access to its own in-house AI chips called Maia, in addition to the upcoming AMD chips. The Cobalt 100 processors, which are currently being tested for use in Microsoft Teams, are positioned to compete with Amazon’s Graviton CPUs.

Overall, Microsoft’s move to offer AMD AI chips and preview the new Cobalt 100 processors demonstrates the company’s commitment to providing cutting-edge technology solutions for its cloud computing customers. Stay tuned for more updates from the Build conference next week.