Microsoft has developed its own custom AI chip and Arm-based CPU to power its Azure data centers and meet the growing demand for AI. The Azure Maia AI chip will be used for large language model training and inference, while the Azure Cobalt CPU will support general cloud services. The chips are designed to optimize performance, power, and cost, with Microsoft claiming that the Cobalt CPU has up to 40% better performance than current Arm-based servers. Microsoft’s chips could help lower the cost of AI for its customers and diversify the supply chain from the reliance on Nvidia.
https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/15/23960345/microsoft-cpu-gpu-ai-chips-azure-maia-cobalt-specifications-cloud-infrastructure