Google Expands Chip Strategy: From AI TPUs to Axion CPUs

Since 2015, Google has been making strides in the world of silicon by launching the Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), specifically designed to accelerate artificial intelligence (AI) workloads. Several generations of TPUs have been developed, leading to the creation of the Google Tensor chip, not just a TPU. The Tensor chip integrates both a central processing unit (CPU) and a TPU onto a single chip, specifically designed for Pixel mobiles.

Google’s ambitions, however, extend beyond AI acceleration. Just yesterday, they announced the Axion, a general-purpose ARM-based central processing unit (CPU). This innovative chip promises significant improvements in both efficiency and performance compared to the processors currently powering Google Cloud services.

Google Axion CPU

Google highlighted the stagnation in performance improvements for traditional x86-based processing units, which constitute the bulk of their current data center infrastructure, as a key reason for adopting ARM architecture.

The Axion Chip: A Leap Forward

Google claims the new chip surpasses its predecessors in both performance and energy efficiency, though they haven’t specified which specific units serve as the benchmark. Here’s a breakdown of the improvements:

• Performance: Axion…