Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD) on Wednesday announced it has acquired Enosemi, a silicon photonics startup, to “support and develop a variety of photonics and co-packaged optics solutions across next-gen AI systems.”
AMD executive Brian Amick said in a blog post that Enosemi’s photonic integrated circuits will help AMD enable “faster, more efficient data movement” within server racks that is required by ever-growing AI models.
“Co-packaged optics can deliver higher bandwidth density and better power efficiency than traditional approaches, representing a transformative step in system architecture where tighter integration between compute and networking is enabled to support the performance and scale that advanced AI workloads require,” Amick said. Co-packaged optics are an emerging technology that enables data transmission using laser light over fiber optic cables between chips. This approach offers faster speeds and greater energy efficiency compared to conventional copper-based connections.
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Enosemi, based in Silicon Valley, builds and ships photonic integrated circuits — microchips containing two or more photonic components that form a functioning circuit. It was founded in 2023 by a group of tech entrepreneurs including Ari Novack and Matthew Streshinsky. Enosemi’s products include optical interconnects, which integrate computing and networking components inside a data center.
AMD did not disclose how much it paid to acquire Enosemi. This acquisition has been seen as another move to ramp up competition against Nvidia. It aligns with the company’s broader strategy to build a comprehensive portfolio for the evolving demands of AI. The strategy has included the integration of Xilinx’s adaptive SoC and AI Engine technologies, the addition of advanced networking through Pensando, the formation of a world-class AI software team via the acquisitions of Silo AI and Mipsology, and most recently, the scaling of full rack-level system design through the recent acquisition of ZT Systems.
Enosemi had previously worked with AMD as an external development partner in the field of photonics.