AMD has announced its definitive agreement to acquire Silo AI, Europe’s largest private AI lab, in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $665 million. This acquisition marks a strategic step for AMD in its mission to offer comprehensive AI solutions based on open standards, in collaboration with the global AI community. Silo AI’s team, composed of highly skilled AI scientists and engineers, specializes in developing bespoke AI models, platforms, and solutions for leading enterprises across cloud, embedded, and endpoint computing markets.
Peter Sarlin, CEO and co-founder of Silo AI, will continue to lead the Silo AI team within the AMD Artificial Intelligence Group, reporting to Vamsi Boppana, AMD’s senior vice president. The transaction is expected to close in the latter half of 2024.
“Enterprises across all industries are seeking efficient methods to develop and implement AI solutions tailored to their specific needs,” stated Vamsi Boppana. “Silo AI’s expertise in creating advanced AI models and solutions, including cutting-edge large language models (LLMs) on AMD platforms, will enhance our AI strategy and accelerate the deployment of AI solutions for our global clients.”
Based in Helsinki, Finland, Silo AI operates in Europe and North America, specializing in AI-driven solutions that enable customers to integrate AI seamlessly into their products, services, and operations. Their client portfolio includes major corporations like Allianz, Philips, Rolls-Royce, and Unilever. In addition to their SiloGen model platform, Silo AI also develops advanced open-source multilingual LLMs, such as Poro and Viking, on AMD platforms.
“At Silo AI, our mission has always been to establish a leading AI company. Joining forces with AMD is a logical progression in our mission to shape the future of AI computing,” said Peter Sarlin. “We have a proven track record of creating successful AI products and delivering significant value to our clients. We are excited to become part of AMD to further scale our impact and develop enterprise solutions and AI models that tackle the complex challenges of deploying AI at scale.”
Nokia’s Chief Strategy and Technology Officer, Nishant Batra, expressed optimism about the acquisition, stating, “As a leading European AI company, Silo AI has been a long-term partner in numerous AI-related projects. We look forward to the enhanced capabilities that the combination of AI technologies and innovative computing solutions from AMD will bring.”
This acquisition is part of a series of strategic investments and acquisitions by AMD to support its AI strategy. Over the past year, AMD has invested more than $125 million in over a dozen AI companies and acquired Mipsology and Nod.ai to bolster its AI ecosystem and support partners. Silo AI’s pioneering work in scaling large language model training on LUMI, Europe’s fastest supercomputer powered by over 12,000 AMD Instinct MI250X GPUs, has been notable. Dr. Pekka Manninen, Director of Science and Technology at CSC-IT Center for Science in Finland, highlighted the collaboration with Silo AI in optimizing the software layer for efficient AI model training on LUMI.
Mats Agervi, CEO of Combient, also praised Silo AI’s capabilities. “One year ago, Combient partnered with Silo AI, a leading AI lab with 300 AI scientists and engineers. Together with Marcus Wallenberg, we initiated Combient in 2015 to accelerate digitalization and AI adoption for 38 of the largest Nordic companies, with a total turnover of €270 billion, such as H&M, IKEA, Saab, KONE, and Ericsson. Today’s acquisition underscores Silo AI’s capabilities, opening up expanded opportunities for increased value creation in Europe and beyond.”
In summary, AMD’s acquisition of Silo AI underscores its commitment to advancing AI capabilities and providing comprehensive AI solutions globally. The addition of Silo AI’s expertise and resources will significantly enhance AMD’s ability to develop and implement advanced AI models and solutions, benefiting a wide range of industries and enterprises. This strategic move aligns with AMD’s broader goal of leading in the AI sector and delivering innovative, high-performance computing solutions.
