Broadcom ships latest networking chip to speed AI
Broadcom
has begun to ship its latest networking chip that aims to speed AI, the company said on Tuesday.
The chip, called the
Tomahawk 6
, boasts double the performance compared with the prior version and other traffic control features that make the networking chip significantly more efficient, Ram Velaga, a Broadcom senior vice president, told Reuters in a Monday interview.
The speed boost means that fewer
networking switches
are needed to perform the same task, Velaga said.
Broadcom's networking chips have gained increased importance because of AI. When constructing the necessary data centers for AI applications, infrastructure builders must string together hundreds or thousands of chips.
Building large-scale clusters of networked chips requires specialized networking gear and chips, of which the Tomahawk series of processors is one such component.
With the Tomahawk 6, Broadcom's engineers have boosted its speed and capabilities to the point where it can be used to construct the larger data centers that are necessary for AI, which can be over 100,000 graphics processors (GPUs) strung together, Velaga said.
"In a couple of years, you will start to see a million GPUs housed inside a physical building," he said.
Broadcom's networking chips use the Ethernet networking protocol, which has been a networking standard for decades. Nvidia produces hardware that uses a rival tech called InfiniBand and several products based on Ethernet.
"All of these networks can be very simply done on Ethernet, you don't need esoteric technologies," Velaga said.
The Tomahawk 6 is the first product in that line that will use several chips combined into a single package, a tech known as chiplets that is widely adopted by other chip designers such as Advanced Micro Devices. Adding chiplets roughly doubled the amount of silicon area used in the design, Velaga said.
Broadcom is producing the Tomahawk switch on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co's three nanometer process.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
5 days ago
- News18
Semiconductor major TSMC reports 25.8% YoY jump in July revenue; YTD up 37.6%
Taipei [Taiwan], August 8 (ANI): Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest contract chipmaker, on Friday reported a sharp rise in its July 2025 revenue, driven by sustained global demand for advanced semiconductor technologies across a consolidated basis, TSMC posted revenue of NTD 323.17 billion for July 2025, marking a 25.8 per cent year-on-year (YoY) surge compared to NTD 256.95 billion in July 2024. The figure also reflected a strong 22.5 per cent month-on-month jump from NTD 263.71 billion recorded in June robust performance in July pushed the company's cumulative revenue for the first seven months of 2025 (Jan-July) to NTD 2.096 trillion, up 37.6 per cent YoY from NTD 1.523 trillion in the same period last July, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) has increased its U.S. dollar-based sales growth forecast to 30 per cent, up from the previous estimate of 24-26 per cent, driven by robust demand for its cutting-edge process technologies, Focus Taiwan the investor conference, TSMC Chairman CC Wei highlighted the growing need for advanced chips fueled by artificial intelligence (AI) applications, which require greater computing noted that TSMC is benefiting from rising demand for emerging technologies, particularly high-performance computing (HPC) forecast strong shipment growth for TSMC's advanced 3-nanometer (3nm) and 5-nanometer (5nm) process technologies, underpinning the company's updated 30 per cent year-on-year sales growth 3nm process, TSMC's most advanced technology currently in commercial production, remains in tight supply, alongside the 5nm emphasised that the supply for these advanced technologies is barely keeping pace with market uncertainties posed by the U.S. administration's tariff policies and related global economic risks, Wei said TSMC's customers have not adjusted their orders so further expand its advanced technology portfolio, TSMC is continuing the development of more sophisticated 2nm process fabs in Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, with mass production of the 2nm process expected to begin later this year. (ANI)
Mint
6 days ago
- Mint
Apple's $600 billion US manufacturing commitment: 10 key things that change from iPhones to iPads and Watch
Tech giant Apple Inc. on August 6 announced a new $100 billion commitment to the United States of America, expanding its total investment in the country from $500 billion to $600 billion over the next four years — this is its highest ever funding push in the US. It also announced its 'American Manufacturing Program' or AMP, that outlined which Apple device components will now be manufactured in the US; and addition of 20,000 new jobs across its domestic facilities and supplier partnerships in the states of Arizona, California, Iowa, Kentucky, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, and Utah. AMP is 'dedicated to bringing even more of Apple's supply chain and advanced manufacturing to the US', the company said, noting that it will 'incentivise global companies to manufacture even more critical components in the US'. Making his announcement at the White House, after US President Donald Trump announced Apple's expanded US committment, and claimed credit for it, CEO Tim Cook noted that the AMP initiative includes new and expanded work with 10 companies across America, that 'produce components that are used in Apple products sold all over the world.' 'We're going to keep building technologies at the heart of our products right here in America,' he added. Notably, speaking to investors earlier, Tim Cook had said that assembly of the company's flagship iPhones will remain 'elsewhere', without naming China and India, adding, but 'there's a lot of content (components) in there from the US, and we're very proud of it.' As per an official release from the company, two-thirds of Apple's parts and components made in the US are shipped to customers outside the country. At present, the tech giant said it 'partners with thousands of suppliers across all 50 states, supporting more than 450,000 supplier and partner jobs.' Over the next four years, the goal is to directly hire 20,000 people in the US — majority focused on R&D, silicon engineering, software development, and artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Apple's $600 billion investment in the US includes manufacturing at 79 local factories, expanded manufacturing with Corning, Teas Instruments, Broadcom and more; and 4,50,000 jobs with supplies and partners in across 50 states, the company said on August 6, 2025. Apple's first AMP partners include Corning, Coherent, GlobalWafers America (GWA), Applied Materials, Texas Instruments (TI), Samsung, GlobalFoundries, Amkor, and Broadcom. Fund a major expansion of Apple's long-standing partnership with Corning, bringing the world's largest and most advanced smartphone glass production line to a factory in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. The new $2.5 billion commitment to produce all of the cover glass for iPhone and Apple Watch in the Kentucky manufacturing facility, means that 100 per cent of the cover glass on iPhone and Apple Watch units sold worldwide will be made in the US for the first time. The two companies will also open a new Apple-Corning Innovation Center in Kentucky. in the Kentucky manufacturing facility, means that 100 per cent of the cover glass on iPhone and Apple Watch units sold worldwide will be made in the US for the first time. The two companies will also open a new Apple-Corning Innovation Center in Kentucky. Apple has also entered into a new multiyear agreement with Coherent, a long-standing partner that produces the VCSEL lasers that enable multiple features — including Face ID — on iPhone and iPad devices shipped around the world. This work takes place at Coherent's Sherman, Texas, facility. shipped around the world. This work takes place at Coherent's Sherman, Texas, facility. In July, Apple also committed to buying American-made rare earth magnets developed by MP Materials — the only fully integrated rare earth producer in the United States — significantly expanding their flagship Independence facility in Fort Worth, Texas. These magnets will become part of Apple devices shipped around the world. The two companies will also establish a cutting-edge rare earth recycling line in Mountain Pass, California. shipped around the world. The two companies will also establish a cutting-edge rare earth recycling line in Mountain Pass, California. Creation of an end-to-end silicon supply chain in the US, with partners in every key aspect of silicon production. This supply chain is on track to produce more than 19 billion chips for Apple products in 2025, it added. It includes TSMC in Arizona, which 'is producing tens of millions of chips for Apple' using one of the most advanced process technologies in America. Apple is this factory's first and largest customer. Apple is partnering with GlobalWafers America in Sherman, Texas, to produce advanced wafers for use in US-based semiconductor fabs for the first time. The other partner for American chip fabs include TSMC in Phoenix, Arizona. These wafers will be used to produce chips for iPhone and iPad devices sold in the US and exported globally. sold in the US and exported globally. Apple is also partnering directly with Applied Materials to boost the production of semiconductor manufacturing equipment in the US at the Applied site in Austin, Texas. manufacturing equipment in the US at the Applied site in Austin, Texas. Increase future product collaboration and critical US capacity with Texas Instruments for additional tool installations at its facility in Lehi, Utah, and a new facility in Sherman, Texas. These facilities will manufacture critical foundational semiconductors used for Apple products, including iPhone devices shipped in the US and around the world. devices shipped in the US and around the world. Apple is also working with Samsung GlobalFoundries at its fab in Austin, Texas, to launch an innovative new technology for making chips, that will optimise power and performance of Apple products, including iPhone . Apple is also working with Broadcom and GlobalFoundries to develop and manufacture additional cellular semiconductor components in the US. These components are crucial for 5G communications in Apple products . . Apple is also working with Broadcom and GlobalFoundries to develop and manufacture additional cellular semiconductor components in the US. These components are crucial for 5G communications in . Construction of Apple's Maiden, North Carolina data center that supports Apple's services such as iCloud, the App Store, Apple Music, iMessage, Apple TV+, Apple Sports, Apple Intelligence, and more.
New Indian Express
05-08-2025
- New Indian Express
Taiwan detains three over 'trade secret leaks' at chipmaking giant TSMC
TAIPEI: Taiwanese prosecutors said Tuesday they had detained three people after chipmaking giant TSMC reported suspected "trade secret leaks" relating to a key technology. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company alleges a former employee and two current staff may have "unlawfully obtained" trade secrets, the High Prosecutors Office's Intellectual Property Branch said. The information relates to the firm's "national core technology", they said. TSMC made the discovery in July after detecting "unusual access to internal personnel files", the prosecutors said. After speaking to witnesses and collecting evidence, prosecutors said the three defendants were "strongly suspected" of violating the National Security Act. TSMC is the world's largest contract maker of chips and counts Nvidia and Apple among its clients. In a statement, it said it had taken "strict disciplinary actions against the personnel involved" in the "potential trade secret leaks". "As the case is now under judicial review, we are unable to provide further details at this time," TSMC said. The company did not provide details about the technology involved in the suspected leaks.
