As technology is shaped by the power of artificial intelligence, Microsoft and NVIDIA have taken a step that will further heat up the competition. Microsoft announced servers featuring NVIDIA’s latest GB200 AI chip. The company became the first cloud service provider to use systems equipped with Blackwell architecture. So, what features does the device have?
Microsoft unveils new AI servers with NVIDIA GB200 chip
NVIDIA made a big splash with the GB200 chips it introduced at the GTC 2024 event in March this year. The new chip delivers 20 petaflops of AI performance, four times the power of the previous generation H100 chips.
The massive performance boost makes it possible to train larger and more complex AI models faster and more efficiently. All of this power is enabled by advanced technology that’s created through TSMC’s 4 nm manufacturing process.
The power offered by the NVIDIA GB200 chip comes at a price, of course. It is stated that the price of the chip is around 70 thousand dollars. So, it is one of the most expensive AI accelerators on the market. It is clear that the hardware, which requires such a huge investment, will only be used for advanced AI projects and large-scale cloud services.
Microsoft’s initiative with the new servers is said to redefine not only the competition in AI but also the performance standards offered by cloud services. On the other hand, Foxconn’s plan to build the world’s largest manufacturing facility in Mexico to produce GB200 chips is another dimension.
Although the exact location of the facility has not been announced, it is rumored that this investment will be a turning point in AI hardware production. What do you think about this? You can write your opinions in the comments section below.