Gelsinger Backs Startup Challenging Nvidia's AI Networking Dominance
Pat Gelsinger, former Intel CEO, has invested in Delos Data, a startup that aims to challenge Nvidia's dominance in AI networking. On September 15, Delos announced it had raised over $100 million to develop networking chips and software for AI data centers. The funding round was led by Playground Global, where Gelsinger is a general partner.
Delos' technology focuses on creating hardware-agnostic networking solutions that can work across different types of compute hardware, rather than being tied to Nvidia's proprietary ecosystem. This could make it easier for customers to mix and match accelerators from different vendors, including AMD.
Gelsinger described idle compute waiting for data as a major waste of both money and energy, highlighting the potential benefits of Delos' approach. However, Nvidia already has scale, mature software, and networking products that customers know work, making it a formidable incumbent to challenge.