Dell & AMD expand Generative AI portfolio with PowerEdge XE9680 support

Dell and AMD have revealed a significant expansion to the Dell Generative AI Solutions portfolio. At the heart of this expansion is the support of the soon-to-be-released AMD Instinct MI300X accelerator by the Dell PowerEdge XE9680. This development is set to further simplify access to Generative AI (GenAI) for organisations willing to implement AI use cases into their operations and create their own large language models (LLMs).

Arthur Lewis, president of the Infrastructure Solutions Group at Dell Technologies, emphasised the crucial role of technology, stating: "Technology is at an inflection point as powerful IT systems are making it possible for AI to transform how enterprises and industries operate. Today's computing makes this possible in ways the world's not seen before. Through our longstanding AMD relationship, we are empowering customers with greater flexibility in trusted and tailored solutions to power their AI and generative AI workloads."

The Dell PowerEdge XE9680, touted as the fastest ramping solution in Dell history, is set to support the AMD Instinct MI300X accelerator. The integration of these technologies will give enterprises the capability to harness their data in new ways, such as utilising customised large language models (LLMs). The PowerEdge XE9680, loaded with eight MI300X GPUs, each with up to 192GB of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM3) for a total HBM3 capacity of 1.5 TB per server, is expected to democratise access to GenAI for businesses. Moreover, it boasts over 21 petaflops of FP16 performance, offering an unparalleled capability for growing businesses keen to train larger models, optimise data centre footprints, and maintain a competitive edge.

Alongside the AMD MI300X Instinct Accelerator support, Dell has also announced the development of a new Validated Design for Generative AI with AMD. This open-source solution extends the Dell Generative AI Solutions ecosystem and includes support for LLMs. The upcoming AMD ROCm-powered design will enhance organisations' ability to build bespoke GenAI platforms, minimising uncertainties related to integration, performance and sizing.

This expanded GenAI solution reflects the surge in demand for intelligent information interpretation and illustrates both Dell and AMD's commitment to leveraging open ecosystems and silicon diversity for customer empowerment. The PowerEdge XE9680, with its exceptional security, boasts simplicity of design in addition to high-performance capabilities. Moreover, the model is supported by integrated cyber recovery and a comprehensive Zero Trust approach, thereby ensuring security throughout data processing.

Dell's and AMD's groundbreaking technology will be available in the first half of 2024 and is anticipated to be a driving force behind the digital transformation of many organisations that recognise the vast potential of GenAI in realising productivity gains, streamlining processes and achieving cost savings.