Key Points:
- AMD introduced the MI325X accelerator, which will be available in Q4 2024, and announced the MI350 and MI400 series for 2025 and 2026, respectively.
- AMD plans to release new AI chips annually to compete with Nvidia, which dominates 80% of the AI semiconductor market.
- The MI350 series will feature a new architecture and promise a 35-fold improvement in inference performance compared to the MI300 series.
- AMD’s latest CPUs will be available in H2 2024. HP and Lenovo will launch devices with AMD’s AI PC chips, which exceed Microsoft’s Copilot+ requirements.
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) revealed its latest AI processors on Monday, outlining an ambitious roadmap to challenge Nvidia’s stronghold in the AI chip market over the next two years. At the Computex technology trade show in Taipei, AMD CEO Lisa Su introduced the MI325X accelerator, which will be available in the fourth quarter of 2024.
The escalating demand for generative AI programs has significantly increased the need for advanced AI chips in data centers. Santa Clara-based AMD is vying to compete against Nvidia, which currently dominates approximately 80% of the AI semiconductor market. Nvidia has set a precedent by shortening its release cycle to annually, and AMD has now adopted a similar strategy.
AMD also introduced the upcoming MI350 series, set for release in 2025. These chips will feature a new architecture, promising a 35-fold improvement in inference performance compared to the MI300 series. Additionally, AMD revealed plans for the MI400 series, which will be launched in 2026 and based on an architecture called “Next.”
Investors have been eager for longer-term updates from chip firms as they assess the sustainability of the booming generative AI rally. AMD’s shares have more than doubled since the start of 2023, though this increase is modest compared to Nvidia’s seven-fold rise in the same period.
To meet market demands, AMD aims to launch a new AI chip product annually, mirroring Nvidia’s strategy. In April, Su announced that AMD expects AI chip sales to reach approximately $4 billion in 2024, a $500 million increase from previous estimates.
At Computex, AMD also announced that its latest generation of central processor units (CPUs) will be available in the second half of 2024. While AI chips in data centers are a primary focus, some of AMD’s CPUs are used alongside graphics processor units (GPUs), though GPUs remain the dominant component.
AMD detailed the architecture for its new neural processing units (NPUs), designed for on-device AI tasks in AI-powered PCs. As the PC market emerges from a prolonged slump, chipmakers are banking on added AI capabilities to drive growth. Major PC providers like HP and Lenovo plan to release devices incorporating AMD’s AI PC chips. AMD stated that its processors exceed the requirements of Microsoft’s Copilot+ for PCs.
