Microsoft is gearing up to reveal its latest developments in AI-focused chips, according to a recent report from The Information, citing knowledgeable sources.
The unveiling of these new chips is set to take place during Microsoft’s “Ignite” conference for information technology and artificial intelligence, scheduled for mid-November.
Earlier reports earlier this year indicated that the American tech giant has been actively working on designing and developing these chips, driven by the increasing demand for AI technologies.
Microsoft aims to reduce its heavy reliance on Nvidia, the world’s largest producer of AI chips, which has been facing high demand and supply shortages.
According to the report, Microsoft’s chips will bear a resemblance to Nvidia’s counterparts and will primarily be used in data center servers.
Currently, Microsoft utilizes Nvidia’s graphic processing units (GPUs) to run and develop advanced AI programs for its customers, such as OpenAI, the owner of the ChatGPT robot, among other proprietary projects and programs.
GPUs are commonly used in artificial intelligence due to their efficient parallel processing capabilities.
While originally designed for accelerating graphics and display output, GPUs also possess significant computational capabilities that can be harnessed for AI purposes.
They excel in handling massive data loads in parallel, performing tasks like image and video analysis, machine learning, and big data analysis at high speeds and improved performance compared to central processing unit (CPU) chips.