AMD introduced the Ryzen 8040 series of laptop processors at its AI-themed event, shifting the focus from CPU speed, power, and battery life to emphasize AI. In January, the company released the Ryzen 7000 family, with the Ryzen 7040 introducing the XDNA architecture, powering Ryzen AI. Now, AMD is moving on to the next NPU, Hawk Point, inside the Ryzen 8040. This NPU works alongside the Zen CPU and the Radeon RDNA architecture GPU. AMD views AI as the most transformational technology of the last ten years. The fight for AI is being waged across several fronts, with chip companies and software developers working to enable applications to run locally on the PC, rather than being computed in the cloud.
The Ryzen 8040 series will be available in laptops from next year and will combine AMD’s Zen 4 architecture, RDNA 3 GPUs, and the new Hawk Point NPU. The new processors from the Ryzen 8040 series include the Ryzen 9 8945HS, Ryzen 7 8845HS, Ryzen 7 8840HS, Ryzen 7 8840U, Ryzen 5 8645HS, Ryzen 5 8640HS, Ryzen 5 8640U, Ryzen 5 8540U, and Ryzen 3 8440U. These chips will use the Zen 4 architecture and will ship in laptops in 2024. The new processors will feature the RDNA3 graphics architecture and DDR5/LPDDR5 support.
AMD also disclosed a third-gen NPU, “Strix Point”, which will deliver more than three times the generative AI performance of the prior generation. In addition, AMD introduced the AMD Ryzen AI Software, allowing models developed in PyTorch or TensorFlow for workstations and servers to run on a local AI-enabled Ryzen chip. This tool aims to enable AI to run on laptops with more limited memory and processing power. AMD also launched the AMD Pervasive AI Contest, with prizes for development for various AI technologies.
AMD is making significant strides in the AI race, especially in the client PC market. The coming year will be crucial in determining the role of the various chip companies in this arena.
