Microsoft is exploring specialized liquids for cooling its AI chips, amid local water supply concerns
Microsoft is looking into a new technique that will allow it to use specialized liquids to cool its AI chips, rather than fans and excessive amounts of water.
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What you need to know
Generative AIis probably one of the most discussed topics this year across the board in the tech world. Many organizations have shifted focus to the tech in the past few months, with Microsoft at the forefront after itsmulti-billion dollar investment, which extended its partnership with OpenAI.
Admittedly, Microsoft has achieved incredible milestones by integrating AI across most of its products and services. Barely a month afterthe company debuted Copilot(formerly Bing Chat)Bing crossed 100 million daily active users.
While all this is impressive, running an AI-powered chatbot is no easy feat. We already knowOpenAI spends up to $700,000 on a daily basis to keep ChatGPT running. Not forgetting the local water supply concerns, asCopilotandChatGPTconsume an entire water bottle for cooling per query.
Microsoft addresses local water supply concerns with specialized liquids for cooling its AI chips
With this in mind, bothOpenAIand Microsoft have heavily invested in fans as well as a steady water supply to ensure that operations run seamlessly. Without an adequate supply of water and fans, the AI chips will simply fry due to the enormous amount of heat produced throughout the entire process.
This is both a daunting and expensive venture, which prevents companies likeMicrosoftfrom realizing the full potential of AI. According to a spot byBloomberg, Microsoft is well on its way to pulling itself out from under this hazardous rug. While making its debut in advanced chip making for AI last month, the company unveiled its brand new Maia 100 chip.
READ MORE:Microsoft enters the chip game with its own Arm processors for AI and computing workloads
The Maia 100 chip is designed to take onNVIDIA’s top-of-the-line products. And unlike previous chips used in AI ventures, Microsoft’s flagship AI chip ships with a cold plate. As the name suggests, it’s designed to ensure that the semiconductor remains cool at all times. The cold plate features a cold fluid tucked at the bottom of the chip to prevent it from overheating.
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Per Bloomberg’s report, this could just be the starting point, as Microsoft could potentially explore full immersion cooling if everything goes according to plan. The servers will essentially be immersed in a “specialized liquid” to ensure that operations run smoothly without any fear that the chips might overheat.
Do you think the specialized liquid approach for cooling AI chips is a permanent solution for Microsoft?Share your thoughts in the comments.
Kevin Okemwa is a seasoned tech journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya with lots of experience covering the latest trends and developments in the industry at Windows Central. With a passion for innovation and a keen eye for detail, he has written for leading publications such as OnMSFT, MakeUseOf, and Windows Report, providing insightful analysis and breaking news on everything revolving around the Microsoft ecosystem. You’ll also catch him occasionally contributing at iMore about Apple and AI. While AFK and not busy following the ever-emerging trends in tech, you can find him exploring the world or listening to music.
