In a headline-grabbing deal, Silicon Valley based firm Cerebras Systems has announced a partnership with UAE technology group G42. The partnership, rumoured to be worth around $100 million, involves the creation of an artificial intelligence (AI) supercomputer. Observers say this could generate up to 36 exaFLOPs of AI computing in the coming year.
Certainly, AI supercomputers are not new. However, the deal’s scale and ambition make it stand out. What’s perhaps more interesting is that this agreement comes against the backdrop of a frantic search among cloud providers for viable alternatives to Nvidia Corp’s chips. The renowned market leader in AI computing, Nvidia, has been struggling with supply shortages due to an increase in demand, opening up opportunities for startups like Cerebras.
Clearly, the partnership between Cerebras and G42 has its rosy prospects. Notably, the venture is expected to catalyse the creation of advanced AI systems which, in turn, could be utilised in sectors as varied as healthcare and energy.
However, it is worth noting that large tech partnerships are rarely without their complications. For one, the reliance on manufacturing within the United States for the ambitious project could present logistical challenges, particularly given the current global supply chain convolutions. Secondly, the highly competitive race to shatter Nvidia’s dominance may not necessarily play out in Cerebras’ favour – there are countless other startups with their eyes on the same goal.
Andrew Feldman, Cerebras’ CEO, refers to the upcoming venture as a “rare opportunity to revolutionize a massive market”. This statement seems to epitomize the general mood surrounding this partnership, a blend of optimism and determination. Though there isn’t a guaranteed path to success, if Cerebras and G42 play their cards right, there could be drastic changes in AI computing on the horizon.
Admittedly, the future holds many unknowns, and the planned relocation of Feldman to the UAE for a three-month period suggests that serious collaboration is in the works. Whether these developments will lead to revolutionary outcomes, or fall flat in the face of market reality, only time will tell.
Source: Cointelegraph
