Intel & IBM partner to launch AI accelerators on IBM Cloud

Intel and IBM have announced a global collaboration to deploy Intel Gaudi 3 AI accelerators as a service on IBM Cloud, with the aim of scaling enterprise AI more cost-effectively while ensuring security and resiliency. The offering is expected to become available in early 2025, making IBM Cloud the first cloud service provider to integrate Gaudi 3 AI accelerators.

The collaboration seeks to tackle the significant compute power required for generative AI by enhancing availability, performance, cost efficiency, energy efficiency, and security, which are top priorities for enterprises. Through this initiative, Intel and IBM aim to lower the total cost of ownership for leveraging and scaling AI while boosting performance.

"Unlocking the full potential of AI requires an open and collaborative ecosystem that provides customers with choice and accessible solutions. By integrating Gaudi 3 AI accelerators and Xeon CPUs with IBM Cloud, we are creating new AI capabilities and meeting the demand for affordable, secure and innovative AI computing solutions," said Justin Hotard, Intel executive vice president and general manager of the Data Center and AI Group.

IBM's general manager of IBM Cloud, Alan Peacock, highlighted IBM's commitment to aiding clients in driving AI and hybrid cloud innovation. Peacock remarked, "Leveraging Intel's Gaudi 3 accelerators on IBM Cloud will provide our clients access to a flexible enterprise AI solution that aims to optimise cost performance. We are unlocking potential new AI business opportunities, designed for clients to more cost-effectively test, innovate and deploy AI inferencing solutions."

The initiative intends to support Gaudi 3 within IBM's watsonx AI and data platform, facilitating additional AI infrastructure resources for watsonx clients to scale their AI workloads across hybrid cloud environments and optimise model inferencing price and performance. The integration of Gaudi 3 with 5th Gen Xeon supports enterprise AI workloads in both cloud and data centres, allowing customers visibility and control over their software stack and simplifying workload and application management.

The Gaudi 3 AI service capability aims to support clients across various industries, including those that are heavily regulated, by leveraging IBM Cloud's security and compliance capabilities. This scalability and flexibility will allow clients to adjust computing resources as needed, potentially leading to cost savings and operational efficiency.

Through the integration of Gaudi 3 into IBM Cloud Virtual Servers for VPC, x86-based enterprises may be able to run applications faster and more securely than before, thereby enhancing user experiences. The collaboration between Intel and IBM marks a continuation of their long-standing relationship, which has spanned from the development of the IBM PC to the creation of enterprise AI solutions with Gaudi 3.

The IBM Cloud with Gaudi 3 offerings is set to be generally available at the start of 2025, with more updates expected from both companies in the coming months.