Tech giants unite to create Ultra Accelerator Link (UALink) to challenge NVIDIA NVLink.

The UALink Consortium, consisting of major tech companies such as AMD, Broadcom, and Microsoft, is developing an open industry standard for high-speed communication between AI accelerators in data centers, with the goal of improving performance and scalability.

Collaborative effort between major industry players
Creation of an open industry standard for AI communication
Potential for improved performance and scalability in AI data centers

In a collaborative effort, AMD, Broadcom, Cisco, Google, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), Intel, Meta, and Microsoft have come together to develop a new industry standard called Ultra Accelerator Link (UALink). This standard aims to advance high-speed and low-Latency communication for scale-up AI systems in data centers.

By creating an open industry standard based on UALink, this group of companies intends to enable more effective communication between AI accelerators. This will allow system OEMs, IT professionals, and system integrators to easily integrate and scale their AI-connected data centers.

The Promoter Group companies have extensive experience in creating large-scale AI and HPC solutions based on open standards, efficiency, and robust ecosystem support. The goal is to establish an open and high-performance environment for AI workloads, providing the highest possible performance.

UALink will play a critical role in standardizing the interface for AI and Machine Learning, HPC, and Cloud applications in the next generation of AI data centers. The group will develop a specification for a high-speed, low-latency interconnect that enables scale-up communications between accelerators and switches in AI computing pods.

The 1.0 specification will allow the connection of up to 1,024 accelerators within an AI computing pod and enable direct loads and stores between the memory attached to accelerators. The UALink Consortium is expected to be incorporated in Q3 of 2024, with the 1.0 specification available around the same time.

UALink is a high-speed accelerator interconnect technology that aims to advance next-generation AI/ML cluster performance. The founding members of the UALink Consortium are committed to developing technical specifications that facilitate breakthrough performance while supporting an open ecosystem for data center accelerators.

Representatives from the founding companies expressed their commitment to UALink and the advancement of AI technology. They emphasized the importance of open standards, efficiency, and collaboration in driving innovation and creating value for customers in the AI space.

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Background Information

About AMD: AMD, a large player in the semiconductor industry is known for its powerful processors and graphic solutions, AMD has consistently pushed the boundaries of performance, efficiency, and user experience. With a customer-centric approach, the company has cultivated a reputation for delivering high-performance solutions that cater to the needs of gamers, professionals, and general users. AMD's Ryzen series of processors have redefined the landscape of desktop and laptop computing, offering impressive multi-core performance and competitive pricing that has challenged the dominance of its competitors. Complementing its processor prowess, AMD's Radeon graphics cards have also earned accolades for their efficiency and exceptional graphical capabilities, making them a favored choice among gamers and content creators. The company's commitment to innovation and cutting-edge technology continues to shape the client computing landscape, providing users with powerful tools to fuel their digital endeavors.

About Broadcom: Founded in 1961, Broadcom is a leading global technology company headquartered in the United States. They specialize in semiconductor and infrastructure software solutions. Broadcom's innovations in connectivity, networking, and storage technologies have made them a key player in the industry, with a focus on enabling seamless communication and connectivity in the digital world.

About Google: Google, founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1998, is a multinational technology company known for its internet-related services and products. Initially renowned for its search engine, Google has since expanded into various domains including online advertising, cloud computing, software development, and hardware devices. With its innovative approach, Google has introduced influential products such as Google Search, Android OS, Google Maps, and Google Drive. The company's commitment to research and development has led to advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

About Intel: Intel Corporation, a global technology leader, is renowned for its semiconductor innovations that power computing and communication devices worldwide. As a pioneer in microprocessor technology, Intel has left an indelible mark on the evolution of computing with its processors that drive everything from PCs to data centers and beyond. With a history of groundbreaking advancements, Intel's relentless pursuit of innovation continues to shape the digital landscape, offering solutions that empower businesses and individuals to achieve new levels of productivity and connectivity.

About Microsoft: Microsoft, founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975 in Redmond, Washington, USA, is a technology giant known for its wide range of software products, including the Windows operating system, Office productivity suite, and cloud services like Azure. Microsoft also manufactures hardware, such as the Surface line of laptops and tablets, Xbox gaming consoles, and accessories.

Technology Explained

HPC: HPC, or High Performance Computing, is a type of technology that allows computers to perform complex calculations and process large amounts of data at incredibly high speeds. This is achieved through the use of specialized hardware and software, such as supercomputers and parallel processing techniques. In the computer industry, HPC has a wide range of applications, from weather forecasting and scientific research to financial modeling and artificial intelligence. It enables researchers and businesses to tackle complex problems and analyze vast amounts of data in a fraction of the time it would take with traditional computing methods. HPC has revolutionized the way we approach data analysis and has opened up new possibilities for innovation and discovery in various fields.

Latency: Technology latency is the time it takes for a computer system to respond to a request. It is an important factor in the performance of computer systems, as it affects the speed and efficiency of data processing. In the computer industry, latency is a major factor in the performance of computer networks, storage systems, and other computer systems. Low latency is essential for applications that require fast response times, such as online gaming, streaming media, and real-time data processing. High latency can cause delays in data processing, resulting in slow response times and poor performance. To reduce latency, computer systems use various techniques such as caching, load balancing, and parallel processing. By reducing latency, computer systems can provide faster response times and improved performance.