Google Unveils Axion: Next-Gen AI Chips Outperform x86 and Arm in the Cloud

Google Unveils Axion: Next-Gen AI Chips Outperform x86 and Arm in the Cloud

In a major announcement, Google has revealed the details of its latest data center artificial intelligence chips and introduced an Arm-based central processor. This move is significant as Google’s tensor processing units (TPUs) have emerged as one of the leading alternatives to Nvidia’s advanced AI chips. However, until now, developers could only access TPUs through Google’s Cloud Platform and not purchase them directly.

The newly introduced Axion, an Arm-based central processing unit (CPU), is set to revolutionize the industry. Google has claimed that Axion delivers superior performance compared to both x86 chips and general-purpose Arm chips in the cloud. Mark Lohmeyer, Google Cloud’s vice president and general manager of compute and machine learning infrastructure, stated, “We’re making it easy for customers to bring their existing workloads to Arm. Axion is built on open foundations, but customers using Arm anywhere can easily adopt Axion without re-architecting or re-writing their apps.”

It is worth noting that other cloud operators such as Amazon.com and Microsoft have also developed Arm CPUs as a means of distinguishing their computing services. While Google has previously developed custom chips for YouTube, AI, and smartphones, this marks their first foray into CPUs. In the past, Broadcom had partnered with Google on the design of TPU chips, but it remains unclear whether they had a role in the development of Axion.

As for the technical capabilities, Google’s new TPU v5p chip is designed to run in pods consisting of 8,960 chips and can achieve twice the raw performance of its predecessors. To ensure optimal performance, Google employs liquid cooling for these pods. On the other hand, Axion offers a 30% improvement over general-purpose Arm chips and a 50% improvement over the current generation x86 chips produced by Intel and Advanced Micro Devices.

Axion is already being employed in several Google services, including YouTube Ads in Google Cloud. The company has plans to expand its usage and make it available to the public later this year. As for the TPU v5p, it is now generally available through Google’s cloud services.

This remarkable development by Google demonstrates the continuous drive towards pushing the boundaries of AI and cloud computing. With Axion’s superior performance and the broad availability of TPU v5p, Google is solidifying its position as a leader in the field, providing developers and users with powerful tools to fuel their AI-driven innovations. As the industry progresses, it will be intriguing to witness the impact of these advancements and the ways in which they transform various aspects of our lives.