AMD strengthens cooperation with AI start-ups: A new chapter in chip development

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is expanding its strategic partnerships in the field of artificial intelligence to enhance its software capabilities and develop powerful chip designs. Seeing an opportunity in the growing demand for alternatives to Nvidia's chips, AMD aims to shine with new hardware lines and recently acquired the company ZT Systems, a server manufacturer. However, hardware alone is not enough. To efficiently execute AI developers' programs, a robust software foundation is needed. In recent weeks, AMD has strategically acquired smaller software companies to strengthen its in-house expertise team and further develop its software package, known as ROCm. "This is a thoughtful, long-term journey for us," describes Vamsi Boppana, Senior Vice President of AI at AMD, regarding the ambitious endeavor. A significant beneficiary of these developments is the AI startup Cohere, which develops customized AI models for large companies. CEO Aidan Gomez praises AMD's advancements in the software sector: adjustments that previously took weeks can now be made within days, providing Cohere with a significant operational advantage. OpenAI also plays a noteworthy role in shaping AMD's upcoming MI450 series of AI chips. This series will serve as the basis for the new "Helios" server, planned for launch next year. OpenAI's influence is particularly evident in the memory architecture of the MI450 and the ability to connect thousands of chips to support extensive AI applications. Forrest Norrod, Executive Vice President at AMD, highlights how OpenAI's requirements have significantly influenced the design of the chips, especially in terms of which mathematical operations have been optimized. OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman also praised the broad partnership between the two companies at AMD’s event in San Jose.