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[News] New Solution to AI the Power Monster? CRAM Reportedly to Reduce Energy Consumption by 1,000 Times
As AI applications become more widespread, there is an urgent need to improve energy efficiency. Traditional AI processes are known as power-hungry due to the constant data transferring between logic and memory. However, according to the reports by Tom’s Hardware and Innovation News Network, researchers in the U.S. may have come up with a solution: computational random-access memory (CRAM), which is said to reduce energy consumption by AI by 1,000 times or more.
According to the reports, researchers at the University of Minnesota, after over 20 years of research, have developed a new generation of phase-change memory that can significantly reduce energy consumption in AI applications.
Citing the research, Tom’s Hardware explains that in current AI computing, data is frequently transferred between processing components (logic) and storage (memory). This constant back-and-forth movement of information can consume up to 200 times more energy than the actual computation.
However, with the so-called CRAM, data can be processed entirely within the memory array without having to leave the grid where it is stored. Computations can be performed directly within memory cells, eliminating the slow and energy-intensive data transfers common in traditional architectures.
According to Innovation News Network, machine learning inference accelerators based on CRAM could achieve energy savings of up to 1,000 times, with some applications realizing reductions of 2,500 and 1,700 times compared to conventional methods.
The reports note further that the patented technology is related to Magnetic Tunnel Junctions (MTJs), which are nanostructured devices used in hard drives, sensors, and various microelectronic systems, including Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM).
It is worth noting that among Taiwanese companies, NOR flash memory company Macronix may be the one with the most progress. According to a report by the Economic Daily, Macronix has been collaborating with IBM to develop the phase-change memory technology for over a decade, with AI applications as their main focus. Currently, Macronix is IBM’s sole partner for phase-change memory.
The report notes that the joint development program between Macronix and IBM is organized in three-year phases. At the end of each phase, the two companies decide whether to sign a new agreement based on the situation.
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(Photo credit: npj Unconventional Computing)
