AMD acquires Silo AI, Europe’s largest private AI lab, in a $665 million deal

AMD has made a significant stride in bolstering its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities with the announcement of its acquisition of Silo AI, the largest private AI laboratory in Europe. This acquisition, valued at approximately $665 million and structured as an all-cash transaction, underscores AMD's strategic focus on expanding its footprint in the AI solutions market. By integrating Silo AI's expertise and technology into its portfolio, AMD aims to enhance its ability to deliver end-to-end AI solutions built on open standards, thereby strengthening its position within the global AI ecosystem.

Silo AI, headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, operates across Europe and North America, specializing in comprehensive AI-driven solutions. These solutions are designed to enable seamless integration of AI technologies into diverse applications, spanning industries such as finance, healthcare, aerospace, and consumer goods. Notable clients of Silo AI include industry leaders like Allianz, Philips, Rolls-Royce, and Unilever, highlighting the company's reputation for delivering impactful AI innovations.

Central to Silo AI's offerings are its state-of-the-art large language models (LLMs), including the widely recognized Poro and Viking models. These LLMs are developed on AMD platforms through Silo AI's proprietary SiloGen model platform, showcasing the company's capability to leverage cutting-edge AI technologies for practical applications.

Peter Sarlin, CEO and co-founder of Silo AI, expressed his optimism regarding the acquisition, emphasizing the synergies between the two companies in advancing AI computing capabilities. Sarlin affirmed Silo AI's commitment to driving innovation and scaling its impact in collaboration with AMD, particularly in developing enterprise-grade AI solutions and advancing AI model research.

Following the acquisition, Peter Sarlin, the CEO and co-founder of Silo AI, will maintain his leadership role within Silo AI as part of AMD's Artificial Intelligence Group. In this capacity, Sarlin will report directly to Vamsi Boppana, who serves as AMD's senior vice president overseeing AI initiatives. This organizational structure is designed to ensure seamless continuity of operations and strategic alignment between Silo AI's capabilities and AMD's broader AI strategy.

Peter Sarlin's ongoing leadership at Silo AI underscores AMD's confidence in his ability to drive continued innovation and operational excellence within the company. Sarlin's extensive experience and deep understanding of AI technologies will play a pivotal role in integrating Silo AI's expertise into AMD's ecosystem, thereby enhancing AMD's AI offerings and reinforcing its position in the competitive AI solutions market.

Under Sarlin's leadership, Silo AI is expected to continue its focus on developing cutting-edge AI-driven solutions, leveraging AMD's resources and strategic support to accelerate growth and deliver impactful outcomes for customers across various industries. This alignment aims to capitalize on synergies between Silo AI's specialized capabilities and AMD's technological leadership in advancing AI computing solutions globally.

Vamsi Boppana highlighted the strategic importance of the acquisition, noting the growing demand from enterprises worldwide for efficient and scalable AI solutions tailored to specific business needs. Boppana underscored Silo AI's track record in developing leading AI models and solutions, which will significantly augment AMD's AI strategy and accelerate the delivery of innovative AI solutions to global customers.

Dr. Pekka Manninen, Director of Science and Technology at CSC-IT Center for Science in Finland, underscored Silo AI's pioneering role in AI research, particularly in scaling large language model training on LUMI, Europe's fastest supercomputer. Powered by over 12,000 AMD Instinct MI250X GPUs, Silo AI has collaborated extensively with academic institutions to advance open-source AI models for European languages, demonstrating its technical prowess and research leadership.

In conclusion, AMD's acquisition of Silo AI represents a strategic investment aimed at fortifying its AI capabilities through advanced technology integration and collaborative innovation. By leveraging Silo AI's expertise, AMD seeks to lead in the AI solutions market, offering differentiated products and services that address the evolving needs of industries worldwide. The acquisition is expected to close in the second half of 2024, subject to customary regulatory approvals, paving the way for enhanced AI-driven solutions and sustained growth in AMD's AI ecosystem.