Intel, AMD, Microsoft & Others Collaborate to Develop UALink: A Direct Competitor to NVIDIA NVLink

In a groundbreaking move, tech giants including Intel, AMD, Microsoft, and others have joined forces to create the Ultra Accelerator Link (UALink). This collaborative effort aims to break NVIDIA’s monopoly in the interconnect market by providing an alternative to NVLink that is more powerful, scalable, and accessible across a network of accelerators.

The Need for UALink

NVIDIA’s NVLink has long been the go-to interface for connecting AI accelerators within data centers. However, its closed ecosystem restricts support to NVIDIA products, limiting scalability and interoperability. UALink seeks to address these limitations by offering an open standard that fosters collaboration among major players in the industry.

UALink: Key Features and Goals

Open Standard Interconnect: UALink is an open-standard interconnect designed specifically for AI accelerators. It allows for direct data transfers between memory attached to accelerators, promoting efficiency and performance.
Scalability: The UALink specification enables the connection of up to 1,024 accelerators within a single AI computing pod. This scalability is a significant achievement and sets UALink apart from NVLink.
Memory Semantic Fabric: UALink is based on a memory semantic fabric, contributing to both performance and scalability. Unlike NVLink, which operates within NVIDIA’s ecosystem, UALink provides a more future-proof solution.
Collaboration: The UALink Promoter Group includes major players such as Intel, AMD, Broadcom, Google, Microsoft, and others. Their combined expertise ensures a robust ecosystem and accelerates UALink’s development.

Roadmap and Impact

Q3 2024: The UALink Promoter Group plans to release the initial 1.0 specification, allowing for the connection of up to 1,024 AI accelerators.
Q4 2024: An update to increase bandwidth is scheduled, further enhancing UALink’s capabilities.

With UALink, the tech industry aims to level the playing field, providing a powerful alternative to NVLink. As this consortium of industry giants collaborates, we can expect exciting advancements in AI interconnect technology.