Microsoft’s ‘top choice’: supply of Nvidia AI GPUs improved but still tight

Devesh Beri

Nvidia

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Kevin Scott, Microsoft’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO), recently discussed the improved availability of Nvidia’s compute GPUs for artificial intelligence and high-performance computing applications (HPCs) at the Code Conference in Dana Point, California. He mentioned that the situation regarding GPU supply has improved compared to a few months back, although it is still tight.

Previously, the demand for Nvidia’s GPUs for AI and HPC applications exceeded the supply capacity of the entire ecosystem. This high demand was driven by major tech corporations, including Microsoft, integrating generative AI into their services.

Scott noted that the availability of compute GPUs is steadily improving, although it is still challenging. He described the role of managing GPU allocations as daunting over the past few quarters.

In 2023, Nvidia experienced a surge in revenue and stock prices due to the high demand for its GPUs. During a recent earnings discussion, Nvidia announced an increase in its GPU supply for the upcoming year, which aligns with Scott’s statement regarding an improvement in availability. Nvidia has been Microsoft’s top choice for AI needs for several years.

And the thing that we will do is we will make sure that we are making the best choices for how we build these systems, using whatever options we have available. And the best option that’s been available during the last handful of years has been Nvidia.

Overall, the improving supply of Nvidia’s compute GPUs is a positive development for the AI industry. It is likely to lead to faster development and adoption of AI technologies.