AMD Unveils 5th Gen Epyc AI-Focused Chips to Take on Intel and Nvidia

AMD unveiled new Epyc processors and Instinct GPUs for AI workloads at its "Advancing AI 2024" event.

AMD is ramping up its efforts in the AI hardware space with a fresh lineup of processors and graphics units, revealed at the “Advancing AI 2024” event in San Francisco. The company, led by CEO Dr. Lisa Su, introduced several products aimed at carving out a bigger share of markets traditionally dominated by Intel’s CPUs and Nvidia’s GPUs.

New Epyc Processors: Built for AI and Enterprise Workloads

At the center of AMD’s announcement is the 5th Gen Epyc series, also known as Turin, which boasts the new Zen 5 architecture. The new lineup includes chips ranging from eight to 192 cores, designed to tackle a broad range of tasks, from enterprise applications to AI computations.

AMD claims a boost in instructions per clock (IPC) by 17% for general workloads and up to 37% for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) tasks when compared to the previous Zen 4 generation. Among the new models is the 192-core Epyc 9965, clocked at a 3.7 GHz boost speed with a 384MB L3 cache and a 500W power draw, priced at $14,813.

There’s also the 64-core Epyc 9575F, designed specifically for AI processing, which reaches 5 GHz and consumes 400W, coming in at $7,592. AMD’s server chips now claim 34% of the market share, the highest point in the company’s history, driven by adoption among cloud providers and large-scale data centers.

Taking on Nvidia with Updated Instinct GPUs

To challenge Nvidia’s hold on the data center GPU sector, AMD introduced its latest Instinct MI325X and teased the upcoming MI350, scheduled for release later in the year. These GPUs are built to handle AI-heavy workloads, where Nvidia currently leads with around 88% of the market share.

Despite the steep competition, AMD has made progress, particularly in the hyperscaler segment where companies with vast data center needs have begun to diversify their hardware suppliers.

Open Ecosystem Strategy and Partnerships

During the presentation, AMD made a case for a more open software ecosystem as a key part of its AI strategy. Dr. Su contrasted AMD’s approach with Nvidia’s proprietary model, suggesting that companies could benefit from less restrictive hardware-software integration.

The message was echoed by partners who took the stage, including representatives from Google, Meta, Oracle, and Databricks, who all discussed how the open approach aligns with their AI development needs. Microsoft’s Satya Nadella also appeared in a pre-recorded video, emphasizing the rapid pace at which AI technology is being adopted across industries.

Expanding Beyond Data Centers: AI-Ready PCs and Networking Chips

AMD’s ambitions don’t stop with server hardware. The company is also targeting PCs, introducing a version of its processor built for Microsoft “Copilot+ PCs.” These business-focused machines are designed to handle AI-enhanced tasks, meeting the growing demand for AI-driven features in everyday computing.

Additionally, new networking components were unveiled, aimed at improving data flow within AI systems. The chips will help optimize performance for AI applications that require high-speed data transfers, complementing AMD’s broader push into AI-focused hardware.

Competitive Landscape: The Road Ahead

As AMD seeks to establish a stronger presence in both CPU and GPU markets, its recent product launches reflect a broader strategy to capture more of the growing demand for AI-driven computing. While the company has successfully gained ground against Intel in the server market, closing the gap with Nvidia in GPUs will be a tougher challenge given Nvidia’s entrenched position and established software ecosystem.

Intel is also expanding AI integration in its chips. This week, Intel’s new Core Ultra 200S processors are introducing a major shift for desktop PCs. These chips, codenamed Arrow Lake-S, integrate NPUs—Neural Processing Units—bringing AI capabilities directly into the desktop space for the first time. The flagship of the series, the benchmark-leading Core Ultra 9 285K, leads a lineup of five models that promise a balance of power efficiency and performance gains.

Last Updated on November 7, 2024 2:36 pm CET

SourceAMD
Luke Jones
Luke Jones
Luke has been writing about Microsoft and the wider tech industry for over 10 years. With a degree in creative and professional writing, Luke looks for the interesting spin when covering AI, Windows, Xbox, and more.

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