Alphabet has introduced its seventh-generation artificial intelligence chip, named Ironwood, aimed at supercharging AI application performance, particularly for inference tasks like responding to chatbot queries.
Revealed at a cloud conference, Ironwood consolidates features from previous TPU designs and can be deployed in clusters of up to 9,216 chips. It boasts twice the energy efficiency of last year’s Trillium chip, and is now the powerhouse behind Google’s Gemini AI models.
Also Read: Google Wallet Officially Launched in Pakistan
Unlike Nvidia’s widely used processors, Google’s TPUs are exclusive to its cloud service and internal teams, giving it a strategic edge in the AI arms race. Ironwood is optimized for inference — the computing required when AI models deliver responses — a function Google says is becoming increasingly critical.
While Alphabet kept the chipmaker behind Ironwood under wraps, the announcement, coupled with President Trump’s surprise tariff reversal, helped send Alphabet shares soaring 9.7% in Wednesday’s trading session.
