News
According to CTEE, NVIDIA’s forthcoming AI server, the GB200 (B100), slated for a 2024 release, has entered the certification phase in the supply chain. Recent market rumors suggest that Foxconn, originally intended to secure orders for the B100 board, faced certification challenges. As a result, Wistron has maintained its initial order share.
Additionally, it is worth noting that Ingrasys, a subsidiary of Foxconn, is actively manufacturing the H100 product and is a strong contender to secure orders.
Unofficial sources indicate that NVIDIA initially considered making Foxconn the second supplier for AI-GPU server baseboard in the upcoming B100 series. However, due to yield concerns and other factors, Wistron is still expected to receive 100% of the orders. Wistron has also capitalized on the opportunity to secure orders for the front-end AI-GPU module, which appears to be a successful move.
The rapid evolution of AI has intensified competition among assembly plants. Wistron and Foxconn play crucial roles as suppliers for NVIDIA’s current mainstream H100 series GPU modules and baseboards.
Wistron, as the exclusive supplier for H100 baseboards in the NVIDIA DGX and HGX architectures, also holds the exclusive role of providing mainboards and assembling AI servers for DGX. As shipments of the H100 series AI servers, built on the NVIDIA DGX and HGX frameworks, steadily increase in the latter half of the year, Wistron’s AI server-related product business shows consistent growth.
It’s worth noting that Ingrasys is responsible for manufacturing the H100. NVIDIA’s founder, Jensen Huang, and Foxconn’s Chairman, Young Liu, jointly attended a technology event, highlighted the close collaboration in between, underscoring Foxconn’s determination to secure B100 orders.
News
SK hynix has introduced LPDDR5T (Low Power Double Data Rate 5 Turbo), a mobile DRAM with a remarkable 9.6Gbps speed. What sets this apart is its compatibility with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform.
LPDDR5T features a 16GB-capacity version, delivering data processing speeds of 77GB per second while maintaining low power consumption. Its efficiency and speed are achieved through the incorporation of HKMG (High-K Metal Gate) technology, which reduces power usage and increases processing speed.
“Generative AI applications running on our new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 enables exciting new use cases by executing LLMs and LVMs on device with minimal latency and at the lowest power,” said Ziad Asghar, Senior Vice President of Product Management at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Our collaboration with SK hynix pairs the fastest mobile memory with our latest Snapdragon mobile platform and delivers amazing on-device, ultra-personalized AI experiences such as AI virtual assistants for smartphone users.”
“We are thrilled that we have met our customers’ needs for the ultra-high performance mobile DRAM with the provision of the LPDDR5T,” said Sungsoo Ryu, Head of DRAM Product Planning at SK hynix.
This collaboration between SK hynix and Qualcomm signals a new era for smartphones, aims to provide on-device, ultra-personalized AI experiences. As smartphones continue to evolve with enhanced DRAM for mobile, the partnership is set to strengthen and drive innovation in this space, positioning the devices as key vehicles for AI applications in the coming years.
(Image: SK hynix)
News
As Jiwei reported, AMD, although trailing NVIDIA in AI, has recently clinched significant deals, earning the trust of two major clients, Oracle and IBM. Oracle plans to integrate AMD’s Instinct MI300X AI chips into their cloud services, complemented by HPC GPUs. Additionally, as per insights from Ming-Chi Kuo, TF International Securities analyst, IBM is set to leverage AMD’s Xilinx FPGA solutions to handle artificial intelligence workloads.
Oracle’s extensive cloud computing infrastructure faces challenges due to a shortage of NVIDIA GPUs. Nonetheless, Oracle maintains an optimistic outlook. They aim to expand the deployment of the H100 chip by 2024 while considering AMD’s Instinct MI300X as a viable alternative. Oracle has decided to postpone the application of their in-house chips, a project with a multi-year timeline. Instead, they are shifting their focus to AMD’s high-performance AI chip, the MI300X, well-regarded for its impressive capabilities.
Reports indicate that Oracle intends to introduce these processor chips into their infrastructure in early 2024.
Similarly, IBM is exploring chip options beyond NVIDIA. Their new AI inference platform relies on NeuReality’s NR1 chip, manufactured on TSMC’s 7nm process. AMD plays a pivotal role in NeuReality’s AI solution by providing the essential FPGA chips. Foxconn is gearing up for AI server production using this technology in the Q4 2023.
Guo also pointed out that, although Nvidia remains the dominant AI chip manufacturer in 2024, AMD strengthens partnerships with platform service providers/CSPs like Microsoft and Amazon while acquiring companies like Nod.ai. This positions AMD to potentially narrow the AI gap with Nvidia starting in 2025. This collaboration also affirms that AMD remains unaffected by the updated U.S. ban on shipping AI chips to China.
(Image: AMD)
Press Releases
With the approach to the end of 2023, TrendForce revealed the tech trends in every sector, apparently, AI continues as the main focus to decide the direction of how the tech supply chain will be in the next few years, here are the seeings:
CSPs increase AI investment, driving a 38% growth in AI server shipments by 2024
HBM3e set to drive an annual increase of 172% in HBM revenue
Rising demand for advanced packaging in 2024, the emergence of 3D IC technology
NTN is set to begin with small-scale commercial tests, broader applications of this technology are on the way in 2024
6G communication to begin in 2024, with satellite communication taking center stage
Innovative entrants drive cost optimization for Micro LED technology in 2024
Intensifying competition in AR/VR micro-display technologies
Advancements in material and component technologies are propelling the commercialization of gallium oxide
Solid-state batteries poised to reshape the EV battery landscape over the next decade
BEVs in 2024 rely on power conversion efficiency, driving range, and charging efficiency
Green solutions with AI simulations emerging as a linchpin for renewable energy and decarbonized manufacturing
OLED’s expansion will across various applications driven by the innovation of foldable phones
News
Reports indicate that the United States is poised to unveil an updated set of restrictions on chip exports to China this week. Beyond the previously reported tightening measures on AI chips and equipment exports, these new regulations are expected to restrict the supply to chip design companies. The aim is to enhance control over the sale of graphic chips and advanced chip manufacturing equipment for AI applications to Chinese enterprises, with the possibility of adding Chinese chip design companies to the list of restricted entities.
As reported from Reuters and Bloomberg, U.S. authorities will demand that overseas manufacturers obtain licenses to fulfill orders from these companies and subject Chinese firms attempting to circumvent restrictions by using third-party countries for shipping to additional inspections. While the new regulations are expected to be announced this week, the potential for delays should not be ruled out.
In October 2022, the United States declared export restrictions on advanced semiconductor processes and chip manufacturing equipment bound for China, as a measure to prevent the development of cutting-edge technology that could potentially bolster military capabilities for geopolitical adversaries.
Following the implementation of these export bans, U.S. tech companies, such as Nvidia and Applied Materials, incurred significant losses in orders. For example, Nvidia was unable to sell its two most advanced AI chips to Chinese companies, leading to the introduction of a “downgraded” chip, the H800, designed specifically for the Chinese market to bypass existing regulations.
U.S. officials have revealed plans to introduce new guidelines for AI chips, including the restriction of certain advanced data center AI chips that currently do not fall under any limitations. They are considering the removal of “bandwidth parameters” to prevent the entry of AI chips perceived as too powerful into China.
However, they plan to introduce expanded guidelines for chip control, which may reduce communication speeds among AI chips. Slower communication could increase the complexity and cost of AI development, particularly when many chips need to be connected for training large AI models. Additionally, the U.S. will introduce “performance density parameters” to guard against potential future workarounds by companies.
Reports suggest that the United States is looking to prohibit the export of Nvidia’s H800 chip, a “downgraded” chip designed for the Chinese market to legally bypass existing regulations.
The Biden administration is also preparing for additional scrutiny of Chinese companies attempting to modify shipping and manufacturing locations in a bid to evade specific country restrictions. This rule will continue to limit sales of specific chips to Chinese companies through overseas subsidiaries and related entities, requiring authorization before exporting restricted technology to countries that could serve as intermediaries.
Furthermore, the progress in Huawei’s new smartphones has prompted the U.S. authorities to tighten control further, initiating investigations for actions against Huawei or SMIC that will be carried out independently of the new export control regulations.
In response to the anticipated expansion of U.S. export controls on Chinese companies, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning stated, “We have made our position clear on US restrictions of chip exports to China. The US needs to stop politicizing and weaponizing trade and tech issues and stop destabilizing global industrial and supply chains. We will closely follow the developments and firmly safeguard our rights and interests.”
(Image: Nvidia)