Apple Joins Forces with Tech Giants in AI Chip Connectivity Initiative
In a significant move, Apple has become part of the Ultra Accelerator Link Consortium, a group committed to pioneering next-generation technology aimed at seamlessly linking chips in AI data centers. This consortium is spearheading the development of UALink, a standard designed to connect AI accelerator chips housed in the increasing number of server farms worldwide. As of Tuesday, Apple has officially joined the consortium’s board alongside notable members such as Alibaba and Synopsys, a leading semiconductor company.
The Promise of UALink
Becky Loop, Apple’s director of platform architecture, expressed enthusiasm about UALink’s potential. “UALink shows great promise in addressing connectivity challenges and creating new opportunities for expanding AI capabilities and demands,” she stated. Highlighting Apple’s legacy of innovation, Loop added, “Apple has a long history of pioneering and collaborating on innovations that drive our industry forward, and we’re excited to join the UALink board of directors.”
Connecting the Dots in AI
UALink is poised to connect a variety of chips, from GPUs to custom-designed solutions, to enhance the speed and efficiency of training, refining, and deploying AI models. Leveraging open standards such as AMD’s Infinity Fabric, the first UALink products are anticipated to hit the market within the next few years.
- Apple
- Alibaba
- Synopsys
- Intel
- AMD
- AWS
- Microsoft
- Meta
Nvidia, despite being the largest producer of AI accelerators, is notably absent from this list. This absence might be attributed to Nvidia’s proprietary interconnect technology, NVLink, which they use for linking chips within data center clusters.
“UALink shows great promise in addressing connectivity challenges and creating new opportunities for expanding AI capabilities and demands.”
– Becky Loop, Apple Director of Platform Architecture
Apple’s Strategic Moves in AI Infrastructure
Apple’s involvement with UALink signals its growing investment in infrastructure supporting Apple Intelligence—a suite of AI product features. Reports from The Wall Street Journal suggest Apple is developing a new server chip aimed at boosting the efficiency of its AI data centers.
This expansion comes amid mixed reviews for some Apple Intelligence features. In fact, my colleague Sarah Perez described them as “boring and practical.” Recently, Apple announced plans to update one capability related to AI-summarized news alerts after users reported inaccuracies in headlines—such as a false claim regarding tennis star Rafael Nadal.
