From Ars Technica · · 1m 20s
Apple's AI server plans mark return to enterprise hardware
The company is building a server with M-series Ultra chips, targeting a 2029 release after nearly 20 years away from the market.
In brief
The company is building a server with M-series Ultra chips, targeting a 2029 release after nearly 20 years away from the market. Apple is developing enterprise AI servers with M8 Ultra chips for 2029, capitalizing on surging demand from AI companies buying Mac hardware. Originally reported by Ars Technica.
Apple building AI servers
Apple is developing an enterprise server using M-series Ultra chips, targeting a 2029 release. It would be Apple's first server in nearly two decades.
Two configurations planned
The server would come with either two or four M8 Ultra chips. New CEO John Ternus supported the project when it started a year ago.
Mac sales booming for AI
AI developers are buying Mac minis and Mac Studios in huge numbers to run AI workloads. This popularity encouraged Apple's server plans.
OpenAI buying tens of thousands
AI companies like OpenAI have purchased tens of thousands of Mac minis and Studios for training AI agents. Anthropic has rented Mac minis from AWS.
“tens of thousands”
Nvidia partnership possible
Apple is considering using Nvidia's data center networking equipment to connect M8 chips. The two companies have been discussing how to leverage Nvidia's tech.
Memory chip shortage looms
The project faces a major challenge: an ongoing shortage of memory chips from companies rushing to build AI data centers across the industry.
Here's the gist
Apple is developing enterprise AI servers with M8 Ultra chips for 2029, capitalizing on surging demand from AI companies buying Mac hardware.
