Artificial Intelligence and Silicon: Shaping Future Tech Innovation

The technology landscape is evolving rapidly, and AI is at the forefront of this transformation.

Silicon technology is enabling the growth of artificial intelligence and plays an important role in aligning hardware with software and innovation with sustainability, according to Charlie Kawas (pictured), president of Broadcom Inc. This strategic approach displays not only technological expertise, but also a vision for the future. Where the full potential of artificial intelligence is unleashed, leading to a smarter, more connected world.

“Everything has changed, because with AI you have enormous workloads that can't run on a single processor,” Kawas said. “Now you have to scale a lot of these systems and racks and you have to connect them together. And guess what? If you don't have the right network strategy and communication strategy, this is not going to work. This is not going to scale.”

Kawwas spoke with CUBE Research analysts John Fourier and Dave Villante at MWC Barcelona, ​​during an exclusive broadcast on CUBE, SiliconANGLE Media's live streaming studio. They discussed the critical role of silicon technology in the development of artificial intelligence, focusing on a strategic approach that integrates hardware and software, fosters innovation and prioritizes sustainability. (*Disclosure below.)

Artificial Intelligence and Silicon: The Silicon Foundation of Artificial Intelligence

Silicon technology plays a crucial role in the AI ​​revolution. Broadcom's journey from a $4 billion revenue stream to over $35 billion demonstrates not only growth, but a strategic pivot toward taking a leading role in the silicon landscape.

Broadcom has a wide range of silicon capabilities from architecture, processor, memory, protocol, signal processing, and communication. This expanded capability, coupled with an incredible investment in R&D, puts Broadcom in a unique position in the AI ​​and silicon space.

“It is incredible to see the transformation that has occurred from 2006 until today,” Kawas said. “At that time, in 2006, no one talked about AI much. Today, it's the only topic people talk about. The portfolio we have is broad…and we're very excited about the work we've been doing for decades with service providers.

Broadcom's strategy revolves around the integration of different technology layers, from the chip to the stack and application layer. This comprehensive approach not only directs efforts towards artificial intelligence, but also aims to shape the future of the technology itself. The company's collaboration with VMware, which leverages application layer integration with the prowess of Broadcom hardware, is an important aspect of this strategy, according to Kawas.

“What's exciting this year is that we have a new member of the family, VMware,” he said. “VMware has invested more than two decades in providing virtualization and software power to the full spectrum of operators. We are very excited about this new level of engagement for the Broadcom family.”

Driving innovation through openness, scale and energy efficiency

Kawas explained that in addition to AI and silicon, another pivotal part of Broadcom's philosophy revolves around three core principles: openness, scale, and low power. These principles are fundamental to meeting the unique requirements of AI technologies. The move from proprietary systems to more open and scalable solutions is an important trend in the technology industry, and one that Broadcom is keenly navigating.

“A lot of the systems that exist today are proprietary and closed…the second thing is size…and after that, power is key,” Kawas said, highlighting the challenges and opportunities in building AI-capable systems.

Broadcom's approach to innovation is characterized by a commitment to openness, allowing for greater scalability and adaptability in a rapidly evolving technology landscape. This commitment is evident in the company's efforts to reduce energy consumption, a critical concern for the next generation of artificial intelligence systems. By incorporating silicon photonics and advancing toward low-power technologies, Broadcom aims to significantly reduce the energy footprint of AI systems, making them more sustainable and efficient.

“These capabilities we are driving today can be applied to hyperscalers investing tens of billions of dollars,” Kawas said. “Power is the number one issue we have right now. Bringing this core technology into a custom or hybrid game is another big differentiator that I think we have the ability to make.

Here's the full video interview, part of SiliconANGLE and theCUBE Research's coverage of MWC Barcelona:

(*Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner of the MWC Barcelona event. Sponsors have no editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: Silicone Angel