Meta to put AI chip into production in September as it looks to double computing capacity, memo shows

Meta Platforms plans to start manufacturing an artificial intelligence chip from September as part of its plan to boost overall computing power to 14 gigawatts next year, showed an internal memo reviewed by Reuters.

The tech firm's data center chip, code-named Iris, is part of a four-generation project for Meta Training and Inference Accelerators (MTIA) that it will design in-house. The plan is to use custom-built silicon to improve the AI that powers its Facebook and Instagram social media platforms.

Testing the chip took only six weeks and found no major issues, the memo showed. That relatively quick progress signals positive momentum for an in-house effort that has floundered since its launch more than half a decade ago.

Meta tailored the chip for its own needs and is working with Broadcom to help design it and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co to manufacture it. The approach is likely to help the firm lower its massive computing costs and gain more independence from chip suppliers such as Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices.