Advanced Micro Devices and Microsoft announced an expanded strategic partnership to deploy AMD’s next-generation Helios rack-scale AI systems across Microsoft Azure, positioning AMD as a more direct competitor to Nvidia in data center AI. The Helios platform integrates Instinct MI455X GPUs, 6th Gen AMD EPYC “Venice” processors, Pensando networking, and ROCm software to support large-scale AI training and inference, including frontier model inference for Microsoft’s AI services and Azure customers. AMD expects Helios shipments, including to Microsoft, to begin in the second half of 2026. Microsoft will also launch new AMD EPYC-powered Azure virtual machines and broaden Pensando DPU use in its network infrastructure.

Prepared by Christopher Adams and reviewed by editorial team.