AMD Looks Beyond GPUs with a New Brainiac Plan

In a bold bid to reshape the computing landscape, AMD is considering a new breed of hardware: discrete neural processing units (NPUs). These chips aim to challenge the reigning GPUs, offering faster and more energy-efficient solutions for AI-powered PCs. This move signals AMD’s recognition of the growing importance of artificial intelligence and their determination to stay ahead in the game.

Here’s the lowdown

AMD is exploring the potential of NPUs to handle AI-specific tasks more efficiently. Unlike traditional GPUs, NPUs are designed to be specialized processors targeted at AI and machine learning workloads. These chips don’t just promise performance boosts—they also offer significantly better energy efficiency, which could be a game-changer for PC makers looking to deliver smarter, leaner machines.

Rahul Tikoo, head of AMD’s client CPU business, highlighted that the company is in talks with various customers regarding the design and application of these accelerators. “We’re talking to customers about use cases and potential opportunities for a dedicated accelerator chip that is not a GPU but could be a neural processing unit,” Tikoo mentioned in a recent briefing ahead of AMD’s Advancing AI event.

This initiative is more than just wishful thinking. Industry players like Intel are already on the move, integrating NPUs in their upcoming desktop CPUs with expansions planned for the following years. AMD’s dive into discrete NPU territory indicates a growing trend where companies move from integrated chip enhancements to full-blown dedicated processors targeting AI use cases.

While Intel’s and Qualcomm’s integrated NPUs offer a taste of what’s possible within the confines of a CPU, the push towards discrete solutions is gaining traction. Discrete NPUs promise higher computational performance without the power draw and thermal issues typical of high-performance GPUs, which may not only benefit power users but could make AI capabilities more accessible across consumer PC markets.

AMD’s move hints at a broader industry shift towards specialized hardware for AI. Startups like Encharge AI get in on the action, promising NPU add-ons that deliver comparable performance to GPUs, but with significantly reduced cost and energy consumption. This hardware evolution could essentially democratize access to AI deep learning capabilities, reshaping everything from computing efficiencies to software development.