Google recently unveiled a new data center CPU, adding to its custom silicon offerings like the Tensor Processing Units (TPUs). TechInsights research suggests that Google is now the third-largest designer of data center processors, behind Nvidia and Intel, based on shipments of custom silicon reaching 2 million last year for internal use.
TechInsights’ report highlights that Google’s TPU shipments have increased with each new generation, particularly with the introduction of TPU v4 in 2021. The growth of Google’s chip business has benefited its major ASIC partner, Broadcom. Google’s strategy involves using TPUs for internal workloads and Nvidia GPUs for cloud computing, positioning them with the largest installed base of AI accelerators in the industry.
The shift towards accelerated servers and Nvidia GPUs has impacted the server market, leading to Google overtaking AMD and Intel in market share. This trend was observed by industry analysts like Omdia, indicating a move towards more robust systems to meet AI demands while extending server lifecycles.
Google’s upcoming Axion Arm-based processor is set to launch later this year, expected to outpace AWS’s Graviton due to Google’s existing software infrastructure. This development reflects the evolving data center semiconductor market dominated by AI and accelerated computing.
Other cloud providers like Microsoft and AWS are also investing in custom processors and accelerators, with Microsoft working on Azure Cobalt, an Arm-based server CPU, and the Maia 100 AI accelerator chip. AWS has been using its Graviton Arm-based server CPUs for years, with a significant portion of global Arm-based servers implemented by them.
While AWS has a substantial share of Arm-based servers, Google maintains a strong position in the TPU market. TechInsights predicts wider implementation of Google’s fifth-generation TPUs due to the growth of large language models like Gemini. The competition among cloud providers highlights the rapid transformation of the data center semiconductor market towards AI and accelerated computing.
Overall, Google’s advancements in custom processors and accelerators demonstrate the changing landscape of the data center semiconductor market previously dominated by Intel. With a focus on AI and accelerated computing, Google is positioning itself to compete with other cloud providers like AWS and Microsoft in the evolving market scenario.
Article Source
https://www.theregister.com/2024/05/21/google_now_thirdlargest_in_datacenter/