Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has purchased Nod.ai, an open-source artificial intelligence (AI) software company located in Santa Clara, California. Renowned for building open-source technologies for AI systems using progressive approaches such as reinforcement learning, Nod.ai was founded in 2013. It has been instrumental in contributing to open-source machine learning projects like the SHARK Stable Diffusion model which is built on respected frameworks like PyTorch and TensorFlow. No details regarding the financial aspects of the acquisition have been shared publicly.
How Nod.ai Enhances AMD's AI Capabilities
The open source software of Nod.ai is well-suited to AMD's software strategy. Nod.ai's Shark compiler-based automation software accelerates the deployment of AI models and operates on AMD's CPUs (Zen), GPUs (RDNA), and FPGAs (XDNA). Shark is a cross-platform Machine Learning Distribution that is compatible with Windows, MacOS, and Linux.
AMD says the acquisition will help expand the company's AI software capabilities. Nod.ai's proficiency in optimizing AI models will reportedly tangibly assist in bolstering AMD's ongoing efforts to provide broad-based software and hardware solutions for AI applications. AMD anticipates that absorb Nod.ai's expertise into its framework will allow them to offer products that will make it easy for AI customers to use high-performant AI models finely steeped in AMD hardware.
“There is a significant expectation that Nod.ai's addition will enhance our current ability to deliver to AI customers open software which facilitates high-performant AI models tuned for AMD hardware,” remarked AMD's senior vice president, Vamsi Boppana. “Our ability to advance open-source compiler technology is set to experience accelerated growth, allowing us to create high-performance AI solutions across all our products. Nod.ai's technologies are currently extensively deployed in cloud computing, the edge, and a diverse range of end point devices.”
Notable Nod.ai Executives – Backgrounds
Formed by a team of dedicated engineers known for quicker problem-solving in an ever-evolving industry, Nod.ai was founded by Anush Elangovan, a former Google and Cisco employee, and Harsh Menon, formerly associated with electric aircraft startup Kitty Hawk. Elangovan states his team is always on the go, devising solutions for the next potential challenges.
AMD perceives this acquisition as an excellent opportunity to enhance its AI software suite with a closing date anticipated this quarter, pending requisite closing conditions. With this step, AMD firmly sets its sight on rival, Nvidia, as both vie for dominance in the rapidly expanding AI space. Nvidia recently revealed a more than 100% YoY revenue surge from its data center operations, including AI for its recently-ended quarter in July 2023. On the other hand, AMD witnessed an 18% decline in revenue during the same period but managed to surpass analyst predictions.
