Meta is creating its first custom chip dedicated to running AI models, the company announced on Thursday. The tech industry is pivoting towards AI from the metaverse, and Mark Zuckerberg cannot remain untouched despite renaming Facebook to Meta in 2021.
The announcement of creating the first dedicated custom chip to run AI models further strengthens the indication of Zuckerberg’s U-turn, which was magnified by massive layoffs from the metaverse project – though Zuckerberg continues to spend big on VR developers.
Meta pulls the curtain back on its A.I. chips for the first time @CNBC
Just this week, $META stock also broke above critical weekly resistance zones. The recovery continues to gain strength.
I can't believe Meta is making chips! 🤔#AI #Meta $SMHhttps://t.co/TOSGjivy5M
— Danielle Shay (@traderDanielle) May 18, 2023
Meta is expanding its dedication to the generative AI era while shrinking in the immersive world.
“We’re sharing recent progress on an ambitious plan to build the next generation of our infrastructure backbone — specifically built for AI,” reads the blog post.
Zuckerberg has often faced criticism from the media for rushing to change the name of his company to Meta, and some are even suggesting the name change again with satire.
A long-term metaverse vision
Despite ongoing speculation about Meta’s metaverse apathy, the company has mentioned it as a long-term vision.
The company announced that its AI compute requirements would undergo a substantial increase in the coming decade.
Meta emphasized its intention to pioneer advancements in AI research, deliver state-of-the-art AI applications and experiences across their suite of apps, and work towards the realization of its long-term metaverse vision.
“We are executing on an ambitious plan to build the next generation of Meta’s AI infrastructure and today, we’re sharing some details on our progress,” wrote Santosh Janardhan, VP and Head of Infrastructure, in the blog post.
The company revealed plans to bolster its AI capabilities through a series of strategic initiatives including the development of a custom silicon chip dedicated to running AI models, the design of an AI-optimized data center, and the expansion of its existing 16,000 GPU supercomputer for AI research.
These endeavors, along with ongoing projects, aim to facilitate the creation and deployment of larger, more advanced AI models on a larger scale.
With AI already playing a vital role in its products, the company aims to enhance personalization, ensure product safety and fairness, and deliver more immersive experiences.
Additionally, these efforts will support businesses in effectively engaging with its target audiences, according to the company.
As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance productivity in software development, the company has introduced CodeCompose. This generative AI-based coding assistant has been developed to empower developers and optimize efficiency throughout the software development lifecycle.
“By rethinking how we innovate across our infrastructure, we’re creating a scalable foundation to power emerging opportunities in areas like generative AI and the metaverse,” stated Janardhan.
Stepping up its AI game?
A Twitter user has defined Meta’s decision to make its own AI chip as the tech giant stepping up its AI game.
“Meta’s upping their game in the AI sphere. They’ve unveiled their custom silicon chip, MTIA, designed for AI models. They’re also enhancing their AI research supercomputer and envisioning an AI-optimized data center. The AI hardware wars are heating up!” wrote Amirthan.
In the midst of Meta’s evolving focus on AI, the tech industry is closely watching the interplay between AI and the metaverse.
As Meta continues to push boundaries and invest in AI advancements, it remains to be seen how these developments will shape the future of both technology realms.
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