An overview of the leading processors designed for AI workloads in modern data centers.
In 2025, the surge in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applications has driven the development of processors tailored for these complex workloads. Leading semiconductor companies have introduced advanced CPUs and accelerators to meet the escalating demands of modern data centers. Below is an overview of the top AI-optimized processors shaping the data center landscape:
1. Intel Xeon 6 Series
Intel’s Xeon 6 platform, unveiled in June 2024, offers two distinct microarchitectures.
- Performance Core (P-Core): Designed for AI applications and high-performance computing, the Xeon 6 P-Core processors deliver significant improvements over previous generations. For instance, the Xeon 6900P integrates a CPU, GPU, and a neural processing unit (NPU) to enhance AI acceleration. These processors provide up to 1.4x better performance for enterprise workloads compared to their predecessors.
- Efficient Core (E-Core): Aimed at power efficiency for less demanding tasks, the Xeon 6 E-Core processors, such as the Xeon 6700E, combine revamped CPU and GPU components to optimize energy consumption while maintaining performance.
2. Intel Gaudi 3 AI Accelerator
Complementing the Xeon 6 CPUs, Intel introduced the Gaudi 3 AI accelerator, targeting AI training and inference tasks. Gaudi 3 offers four times the AI compute power and 1.5 times the memory bandwidth of its predecessor, Gaudi 2. It is projected to deliver 50% faster training and inference times and 40% better power efficiency compared to competing solutions like Nvidia’s H100 GPU.
3. AMD EPYC 9005 Series (Codename: Turin)
In October 2024, AMD launched the EPYC 9005 series, known as Turin, which shares the SP5 socket with previous models like Genoa and Bergamo. Turin supports up to 6400 MT/s DDR5 memory and offers configurations with up to 128 Zen 5 cores per socket. The high-frequency SKU, EPYC 9575F, operates at speeds up to 5 GHz, catering to intensive AI workloads.
4. Nvidia Blackwell B200 GPU
Nvidia’s Blackwell B200 GPU, announced in mid-March 2024, delivers 20 petaflops of AI performance on a single GPU. It enables organizations to train AI models four times faster and improves inference performance by 30 times, with up to 25 times better energy efficiency compared to the previous Hopper architecture. This GPU is tailored for cloud providers and enterprises focusing on advanced AI model training and deployment.
5. Ampere Computing Processors
Ampere Computing, acquired by SoftBank for $6.5 billion, specializes in high-performance, energy-efficient processors optimized for AI and cloud workloads using the Arm architecture. This acquisition aims to enhance Arm’s design capabilities and expand its presence in the growing data center market.
These advancements reflect the industry’s commitment to developing processors that balance performance, energy efficiency, and scalability, addressing the diverse needs of AI-driven data centers in 2025 and beyond.
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