‘Microsoft is working on its own AI chip for training large language models’ – Computer – News

Microsoft could also be working by itself AI chip that can be utilized, for instance, to coach massive language fashions. Insiders report this to The Info. The corporate want to grow to be much less depending on costly chips from different suppliers.

In keeping with nameless sources from The Info Microsoft has been working by itself AI chip, codenamed Athena, since 2019. A small group of Microsoft and OpenAI workers would have already got entry to the chip. The corporate hopes that Challenge Athena will outperform the chips it at the moment buys from different suppliers, in keeping with The Info. That ought to save money and time on his AI work. Different massive tech firms, akin to Amazon and Google, are additionally engaged on their very own AI chips.

In keeping with sources, the chip is used to coach massive language fashions and assist inference, for instance to be used in AI fashions akin to GPT-4 that the corporate makes use of in Bing and Workplace. Microsoft could possibly make the chips extra broadly out there ‘subsequent 12 months’. Nonetheless, it isn’t recognized whether or not the chips shall be out there to clients utilizing Microsoft Azure or whether or not they are going to be for inner use solely. Microsoft would even have an inner roadmap with future generations.

Chips for coaching AI fashions are at the moment primarily produced by Nvidia. That firm provides, amongst different issues, its A100 and H100 accelerators. Microsoft want to save prices on the acquisition of AI chips with its personal chips. Nonetheless, the tech big doesn’t see its chips as a “broad alternative for Nvidia’s merchandise,” in keeping with the sources.

There have been studies for a while that Microsoft is working by itself chips. In 2020, Bloomberg said that the corporate Arm chips in improvement to be used in servers and client Floor units. Nonetheless, these alleged chips haven’t but appeared, though the corporate beforehand collaborated with Qualcomm on Arm chips for its Floor lineup.