Apple plans to use M2 Ultra chips in the cloud for AI

Apple plans to begin its foray into generative AI by offloading complex queries to M2 Ultra chips running in data centers before moving on to its more advanced M4 chips.

Bloomberg reports that Apple plans to place its M2 Ultra on cloud servers to run more complex AI queries while simple tasks are processed on devices. Wall Street Journal previously reported that Apple wanted to make custom chips to bring to data centers to ensure security and privacy in a project the publication says is called Project ACDC, or Apple Chips in Data Center. But the company now believes its existing processors already have sufficient security and privacy components.

The chips will be deployed in Apple’s data centers and, eventually, on servers run by third parties. Apple runs its own servers in the United States and has been working on a new center in Waukee, Iowawhich was first announced in 2017.

Although Apple has not advanced as quickly in generative AI as competitors like Google, Meta and Microsoft, the company has conducted research into the technology. In December, Apple’s machine learning research team released MLX, a machine learning framework that can make AI models run efficiently on Apple silicon. The company has also been releasing other research on AI models that suggest what AI could look like in its devices and how existing products like Siri could be updated.

Apple placed a big emphasis on AI performance when announcing the new M4 chip, saying its new neural engine is “an outrageously powerful chip for AI.”