Google's Latest AI Chip Puts the Focus on Inference

Core Insights - Google has launched its seventh-generation Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), named Ironwood, designed specifically for AI workloads, marking a significant advancement in AI computing capabilities [1][2][3] - The new TPU offers a 10X peak performance improvement over the previous generation and more than 4X better performance per chip for both training and inference tasks [3] - Google is positioning itself in the "age of inference," where the focus shifts from training AI models to utilizing them for practical applications, anticipating a surge in demand for AI computing [5][9] Product Launch and Features - Ironwood TPUs will be available for Google Cloud customers soon, alongside new Arm-based Axion virtual machine instances that enhance performance per dollar [2] - The Ironwood TPU is optimized for high-volume AI inference workloads, which require quick response times and the ability to handle numerous requests [4] Market Position and Growth - Google Cloud generated $15.2 billion in revenue in Q3, reflecting a 34% year-over-year increase, with an operating income of $3.6 billion and an operating margin of approximately 24% [8] - The cloud computing sector is competitive, with Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services also expanding their AI capabilities, but Google is leveraging its decade-long experience in TPU development to gain an edge [7][9] Strategic Partnerships - AI companies like Anthropic are expanding their use of Google's TPUs, with a new deal granting access to 1 million TPUs, which is crucial for their goal of reaching $70 billion in revenue by 2028 [6]