Enhancing AI infrastructure ecosystem! Broadcom Inc. (AVGO.US) releases the new generation network chip Thor Ultra, simultaneously launching the Wi-Fi 8 solution.

According to reports, Broadcom Inc. (AVGO.US) is about to launch a new network chip called Thor Ultra. This chip can connect tens of thousands of data processing chips to help enterprises build artificial intelligence (AI) computing systems. The report further points out that Thor Ultra allows computing infrastructure operators to deploy far more chips than before, enabling them to build and run large language models that support AI applications. Analysts suggest that this will intensify competition between Broadcom Inc. and NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA.US). At present, Broadcom Inc. has not responded immediately to requests for comment. The report mentions that the Thor Ultra chip will compete with NVIDIA Corporation's network interface chips, aiming to further consolidate Broadcom Inc.'s leading position in internal network communication for AI application-specific data centers. In the connection between AI systems and other parts of data centers, the Thor Ultra chip plays a key role as a crucial link. The core function of such network chips is to help data center operators achieve efficient information transfer within the facility. Ram Velaga, Senior Vice President of Broadcom Inc., said, "In distributed computing systems, networks are crucial for building these large clusters. Therefore, I am not surprised that all companies involved in GPU business would want to have a presence in the network field." The report states that compared to the previous generation of products, Broadcom Inc. engineers have doubled the bandwidth of Thor Ultra. Additionally, from the initial stages of the production process, they have rigorously tested and audited this chip. Velaga revealed that to develop chips like Thor Ultra or to build flagship network switches in the Tomahawk series, engineers will build a complete system around the chip. During this process, engineers will discuss key issues such as the chip's packaging form, power requirements, and heat dissipation performance with the hardware system team. "For every dollar we invest in chip silicon development, ecosystem partners invest at least $6 to $10," Velaga said. "Therefore, we put a lot of effort into the design phase as if this product is ready for mass production at any time." In another separate announcement, Broadcom Inc. released what it claims to be the industry's first Wi-Fi 8 silicon-based solution for the broadband wireless edge ecosystem, applicable scenarios include home gateways, enterprise access points, and smart mobile terminals. Broadcom Inc. stated that this Wi-Fi 8 solution is tailor-made to meet the stringent requirements for performance, reliability, intelligence, and energy efficiency of edge networks in the AI era. The company pointed out that the newly launched licensing options will help expand the scale of edge terminals such as smartphones, PCs, cars, and IoT devices, providing support for "AI-first" access devices. Mark Gonikberg, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom Inc.'s Wireless Communication and Connectivity Division, said, "Broadcom Inc.'s Wi-Fi 8 products are carefully designed to provide the 'AI-ready' capabilities, high performance, low latency, and stability required for modern AI edge." Broadcom Inc.'s Wi-Fi 8 ecosystem product portfolio specifically includes: the BCM6718 chip for home and operator access scenarios; the BCM43840 and BCM43820 chips for enterprise access scenarios; and the BCM43109 chip for edge wireless terminals such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, and cars.