Microsoft Changes AI Chip Plans Due to Delays
Microsoft Corporation has had to push back and change its own AI chip plans because of design issues, as reported by The Information. The firm aims to rely less on NVIDIA's costly tech and is now looking at an early version of the chip to keep up in the tough AI race.
A Changed Path: From Braga to a Quick Fix
The main problem came from delays with Microsoft's "Braga" AI chip, meant to follow the Maia 100 chip set for April 2024. The start of making a lot of Braga chips was moved from 2025 to 2026.
This hold-up made the firm worry about how Braga's next versions, "Braga-R" and "Clea," would do against NVIDIA's coming tech. To deal with this, Microsoft now has a new plan.
The New Plan: A 2027 Chip Named Maia 280
The new plan is to launch a different AI chip in 2027, said to be the Maia 280. This chip will act as a step-to-step fix and will work by linking two Braga chips for better work.
The Goal: Beat NVIDIA on Energy Use
Microsoft's main aim is to match NVIDIA in energy-smart performance. The report tells us that leaders at Microsoft think their new chip designs could work up to 30% better than NVIDIA's 2027 chips.
The company wants to make many of its own AI chips each year, moving away from just one maker.
Market View: The Chase for AI Chip Freedom
This step is among big moves by large tech groups like Google and Amazon, who are also making their AI chips. But, NVIDIA is still the top player with its current Blackwell GPUs and soon, its "Rubin" set-up.
NVIDIA's CEO, Jensen Huang, is sure of his firm's edge, noting that many custom AI chip plans are facing troubles. The high need for AI has also upped growth for chip designers like Broadcom and Marvel, although their stock shows the big hopes and shifting nature of the market.