Latest news with #PatGelsinger
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
From Power-Hungry AI to Energy Saver: Snowcap's $23M Move to Revolutionize Computing
Snowcap Compute, a semiconductor startup developing superconducting AI chips, announced a $23 million seed round on Monday. According to Reuters, the company is backed by Playground Global and led by former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, who will also serve as board chair. The funding round also included Cambium Capital and Vsquared Ventures. The startup aims to create high-performance computing platforms that require significantly less power than current-generation chips. Snowcap said its superconducting architecture will deliver 25 times better performance per watt compared to existing AI systems. Don't Miss: Peter Thiel turned $1,700 into $5 billion—now accredited investors are eyeing this software company with similar breakout potential. Learn how you can invest with $1,000 at just $0.30/share. Invest early in CancerVax's breakthrough tech aiming to disrupt a $231B market. Back a bold new approach to cancer treatment with high-growth potential. Snowcap Compute's superconducting chips are designed to operate with zero electrical resistance and require cryogenic cooling to function, according to Reuters. The company said the chips are being developed to reduce electricity consumption in artificial intelligence computing, a sector facing increasing energy demands. Nvidia's (NASDAQ:NVDA) upcoming Rubin Ultra server, expected in 2027, is projected to consume around 600 kilowatts of power—about two-thirds of the monthly electricity use of a typical U.S. household, Reuters reported. Snowcap CEO Michael Lafferty, formerly with Cadence Design Systems (NASDAQ:CDNS), told Reuters that the performance-to-power ratio of Snowcap's architecture justifies the energy spent on cooling. "We're pushing the performance level way up and pulling the power down at the same time," he said. Snowcap plans to release a basic chip by the end of 2026. Full system deployments will follow at a later stage. The chips will be manufactured in a conventional factory using niobium titanium nitride sourced from Brazil and Canada, Reuters reported. Trending: GoSun's Breakthrough Rooftop EV Charger Already Has 2,000+ Units Reserved — Become an Investor in This $41.3M Clean Energy Brand Today Gelsinger, who stepped down as Intel CEO in December, said the industry must rethink its reliance on increasingly power-hungry chips. "A lot of data centers today are just being limited by power availability," he told Reuters. In a LinkedIn post, Gelsinger described Snowcap as "the first commercially viable superconducting compute platform," and said it delivers performance and efficiency gains across classical, AI, and quantum workloads. He called it his first public investment as general partner at Playground Global and said the company's technology could address compute bottlenecks and "push the boundaries of what is possible with silicon."Snowcap's founding team includes superconducting researchers Anna Herr and Quentin Herr, who previously worked at chip research firm Imed and defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. (NYSE:NOC). The team also includes former executives from Nvidia and Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:GOOG, GOOGL)) Google unit. According to Snowcap, its architecture is engineered for high-performance AI inference and training, quantum-classical hybrid workloads, and low-latency systems. Founded in 2024, Snowcap enters a growing field of startups pursuing alternatives to conventional complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor-based processors. The company said its superconducting logic offers "orders-of-magnitude gains in processing speed and efficiency" and aims to support emerging compute workloads spanning AI, high-performance computing, and quantum workflows. Read Next: Are you rich? Here's what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy. UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article From Power-Hungry AI to Energy Saver: Snowcap's $23M Move to Revolutionize Computing originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
From Power-Hungry AI to Energy Saver: Snowcap's $23M Move to Revolutionize Computing
Snowcap Compute, a semiconductor startup developing superconducting AI chips, announced a $23 million seed round on Monday. According to Reuters, the company is backed by Playground Global and led by former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, who will also serve as board chair. The funding round also included Cambium Capital and Vsquared Ventures. The startup aims to create high-performance computing platforms that require significantly less power than current-generation chips. Snowcap said its superconducting architecture will deliver 25 times better performance per watt compared to existing AI systems. Don't Miss: Peter Thiel turned $1,700 into $5 billion—now accredited investors are eyeing this software company with similar breakout potential. Learn how you can invest with $1,000 at just $0.30/share. Invest early in CancerVax's breakthrough tech aiming to disrupt a $231B market. Back a bold new approach to cancer treatment with high-growth potential. Snowcap Compute's superconducting chips are designed to operate with zero electrical resistance and require cryogenic cooling to function, according to Reuters. The company said the chips are being developed to reduce electricity consumption in artificial intelligence computing, a sector facing increasing energy demands. Nvidia's (NASDAQ:NVDA) upcoming Rubin Ultra server, expected in 2027, is projected to consume around 600 kilowatts of power—about two-thirds of the monthly electricity use of a typical U.S. household, Reuters reported. Snowcap CEO Michael Lafferty, formerly with Cadence Design Systems (NASDAQ:CDNS), told Reuters that the performance-to-power ratio of Snowcap's architecture justifies the energy spent on cooling. "We're pushing the performance level way up and pulling the power down at the same time," he said. Snowcap plans to release a basic chip by the end of 2026. Full system deployments will follow at a later stage. The chips will be manufactured in a conventional factory using niobium titanium nitride sourced from Brazil and Canada, Reuters reported. Trending: GoSun's Breakthrough Rooftop EV Charger Already Has 2,000+ Units Reserved — Become an Investor in This $41.3M Clean Energy Brand Today Gelsinger, who stepped down as Intel CEO in December, said the industry must rethink its reliance on increasingly power-hungry chips. "A lot of data centers today are just being limited by power availability," he told Reuters. In a LinkedIn post, Gelsinger described Snowcap as "the first commercially viable superconducting compute platform," and said it delivers performance and efficiency gains across classical, AI, and quantum workloads. He called it his first public investment as general partner at Playground Global and said the company's technology could address compute bottlenecks and "push the boundaries of what is possible with silicon."Snowcap's founding team includes superconducting researchers Anna Herr and Quentin Herr, who previously worked at chip research firm Imed and defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. (NYSE:NOC). The team also includes former executives from Nvidia and Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:GOOG, GOOGL)) Google unit. According to Snowcap, its architecture is engineered for high-performance AI inference and training, quantum-classical hybrid workloads, and low-latency systems. Founded in 2024, Snowcap enters a growing field of startups pursuing alternatives to conventional complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor-based processors. The company said its superconducting logic offers "orders-of-magnitude gains in processing speed and efficiency" and aims to support emerging compute workloads spanning AI, high-performance computing, and quantum workflows. Read Next: Are you rich? Here's what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy. UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article From Power-Hungry AI to Energy Saver: Snowcap's $23M Move to Revolutionize Computing originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Japan Times
a day ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Former Intel CEO Gelsinger has some advice for Japan's Rapidus
Rapidus needs to do something special to distinguish itself in the highly competitive market for advanced semiconductors, former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger said. 'We applaud the efforts of Japan to bring Rapidus to the market,' Gelsinger said during a news conference in Tokyo this week when asked about the potential of Rapidus becoming a leading chipmaker. 'However, we'd also say that Rapidus needs some fundamental differentiating technologies, because if they're trying to catch up with a well-executing TSMC without some leap-ahead capabilities, we think that's a very hard road.' Gelsinger is now a general partner at Playground Global, a venture capital firm based in Palo Alto, California, that focuses on investing in deep-tech startups. Rapidus, a foundry established in 2022, started pilot production of next-generation 2-nanometer chips in Chitose, Hokkaido, in April. Rapidus plans to mass produce those semiconductors starting in 2027. Chips are more advanced — but also more technologically challenging — as the measure of the transistor gate size falls. Japan is stuck at the 40 nm level, but Rapidus has been teaming up with IBM to make 2 nm chips. Rapidus CEO Atsuyoshi Koike has indicated that the company does not intend to go toe-to-toe with TSMC, since Rapidus will not be aiming for super-large-scale production, which is TSMC's business model. Some clients want advanced chips specifically customized for their needs rather than mass-produced general-purpose chips, so Rapidus will focus on closely working with them to achieve the desired output. Gelsinger said Playground is keen to help Japanese chip-related companies achieve a competitive edge, stressing the importance of deepening U.S.-Japan tech ties. 'We see U.S.-Japan as being a powerful partnership for the future of technology and the future of semiconductors,' said Gelsinger, who headed Intel until last December. 'Part of the reason we're here is meeting with the respective Japanese companies to help build that leap-ahead capability,' Gelsinger said. Representatives from some of the startups backed by Playground also joined the news conference in Tokyo. Given that Japanese companies have significant market shares in materials, packaging and equipment for the chip industry, working with Japanese companies provides opportunities for Playground-invested startups, Gelsinger added. San Jose, California's Ayar Labs, one of the investees, has cutting-edge silicon photonics technology that can embed optical communication capabilities within a chip package. Chip-level optical interconnect is more energy efficient and allows for faster data transmission compared to traditional copper networking. With the use of artificial intelligence increasing rapidly, energy consumption by AI data centers is expected to grow rapidly, so breakthroughs in energy-saving chip technology are seen as key. Mark Wade, CEO of Ayar Labs, indicated that working with Rapidus is a possible option in the future. The company already works with large foundries, such as TSMC and GlobalFoundries, and has received investments from Nvidia and AMD. Last December, NTT Docomo Venture announced an investment in Ayar Labs.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Intel Says Its 18A Node is 25% Faster Than Intel 3
Intel has great things to say about its upcoming 18A node, but it's using some tough-to-verify comparisons. Intel made its claims at the 2025 Symposium on VLSI Technology in Japan, according to PC Gamer. The chipmaker compared its 18A node with the Intel 3 node, which didn't lead to chips in laptops. So, for now, the performance improvement numbers are just mildly interesting, rather than data with which to make any decisions. The company's more interesting claims boil down to this: a chip based on the 18A process can be up to 25% faster. If you stick to the same speed as Intel 3, 18A is 36% more efficient. That sounds intriguing, but the comparison that potential customers will make is not between 18A and Intel 3; it will be between Intel's 18A and TSMC's N2, which is the 2-nm class node. Intel's chief rival in the processor space, AMD, already has TSMC producing its next generation of Epyc data center CPUs on the N2 node. In any event, we'll have answers with the arrival of Intel's upcoming Panther Lake laptop CPUs. Samples of the system-on-a-chip (SoC) made an appearance at Computex this summer, proving that the vaunted 18A node is about ready for production. Intel estimates that it will start production of the chips sometime this year. As for when we'll see laptops with Panther Lake chips in them? That's looking more like early 2026, says Intel. Credit: Intel Intel's 18A node is nearing completion at a crucial time for the company. It is the final node in former CEO Pat Gelsinger's five-nodes-in-four-years plan, which was meant to revitalize Intel's fortunes. Gelsinger hoped to develop Intel's manufacturing capabilities into a successful foundry business, but the journey was slow and saw setbacks. When Intel spun its manufacturing into a foundry business in the spring of 2024, the company revealed that the foundry business was losing billions every year. And profitability wasn't expected until 2030. The company kicked off its ambitious plan with the Intel 7, which was followed by the 4 and then the 3 node. At that point, Intel changed its naming convention with the 20A node. The 20A node ended up being scrapped, however, and Intel turned its attention entirely to making 18A, which is the process that will be used to make Panther Lake chips, a success. At this point, 18A has reached risk production and appears well on its way to crossing the finish line. Gelsinger, meanwhile, is no longer with Intel, which has a new leader in CEO Lip-Bu Tan.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Tech layoffs hit 100,000+ in 2025: Intel, Microsoft, Meta and these tech companies cut thousands of jobs; Here's the complete list
The technology sector's brutal workforce reduction continues into 2025, with industry giants Intel, Microsoft, Panasonic, Google , and Amazon leading a wave of layoffs that has already eliminated more than 62,000 jobs in the first half of the year. From semiconductor manufacturers to social media platforms, major tech companies are restructuring operations amid economic uncertainty and shifting business priorities, leaving tens of thousands of workers searching for new opportunities in an increasingly competitive market. The layoffs span across all sectors of technology, affecting everyone from established hardware manufacturers like Intel planning to cut up to 21,700 positions to fintech companies like Block eliminating nearly 1,000 workers, streaming platforms downsizing staff, and even space companies like Blue Origin cutting over 1,000 employees. With artificial intelligence reshaping business models and companies focusing on operational efficiency, the human cost of technological transformation has become starkly apparent as some of the world's most valuable companies simultaneously invest billions in AI while eliminating traditional roles. Intel plans 21,000+ job cuts in largest tech layoff in its history Intel announced the most devastating single layoff in the tech industry for 2025, planning to eliminate more than 21,000 employees, representing roughly 20% of its total workforce. The semiconductor giant's cuts come ahead of its Q1 earnings call under newly appointed CEO Lip-Bu Tan, who took over from longtime chief Pat Gelsinger. Additionally, Intel plans to lay off 15% to 20% of workers in its Intel Foundry division starting in July, affecting the unit that designs, manufactures, and packages semiconductors for external clients. With Intel's total workforce at 108,900 people as of December 2024, these combined reductions represent one of the largest single-company layoffs in tech history. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dermatologist Says "No Lotion On Dark Spots! Use This Household Item Instead" Miami M.D. Undo Panasonic cuts 10,000 positions in global restructuring Japanese electronics giant Panasonic announced it would cut 10,000 jobs, affecting approximately 4% of its total workforce as part of a comprehensive restructuring plan. CEO Yuki Kusumi said the cuts are designed to better prepare the century-old company for future decades, with 5,000 job losses expected in Japan and another 5,000 overseas. The company is trimming operations in non-growth areas such as televisions and industrial products to concentrate on emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence. Kusumi addressed the severity of the decision during an earnings call, stating he was "truly sorry" but emphasized that drastic cost structure cuts were necessary for the company to pursue growth. Microsoft continues multi-phase layoff with 6,500+ job cuts Microsoft implemented a multi-phase layoff strategy throughout 2025, first cutting over 6,500 jobs in May, affecting approximately 3% of its global workforce of 228,000 employees. The Seattle-headquartered company followed this with additional layoffs affecting software engineers, product managers, technical program managers, marketers, and legal counsels. The May cuts represent one of Microsoft's biggest layoffs since it eliminated 10,000 employees in 2023, and the company is reportedly contemplating further reductions that could happen through additional phases, with discussions about reducing middle managers and non-coding staff to increase the ratio of programmers to product managers. Meta targets "low performers" in 5% workforce reduction Meta announced it would cut 5% of its staff, targeting what CEO Mark Zuckerberg described as "low performers" as the company prepares for "an intense year." With more than 72,000 employees as of its latest quarterly report, the social media giant's cuts affect approximately 3,600 workers. The layoffs began in February and hit teams overseeing Facebook, the Horizon virtual reality platform, and logistics operations hardest. Meta also conducted additional layoffs in April, eliminating over 100 employees in its Reality Labs division, which manages virtual reality and wearable technology development for Meta's Quest headsets. HP implements 2,000 job cuts under "future now" restructuring HP announced it would eliminate up to 2,000 jobs as part of its "Future Now" restructuring plan designed to save the company $300 million before the end of its fiscal year. The cuts represent a significant portion of the computer and printer manufacturer's workforce as the company seeks to streamline operations and reduce costs. The restructuring comes as HP faces ongoing challenges in the traditional PC and printing markets, with the company pivoting toward more profitable business segments and operational efficiency improvements. Google conducts multiple layoff rounds across key divisions Google implemented several rounds of layoffs throughout 2025, cutting hundreds of employees across multiple divisions. The search giant eliminated 200 workers in its global business unit, which handles partnerships and sales, while also laying off hundreds of employees in its platforms and devices division covering Android, Pixel phones, and the Chrome browser. Additional cuts affected the People Operations and cloud organizations teams as part of a broader reorganization effort. Google offered a voluntary exit program to U.S.-based People Operations employees while restructuring to "drive greater collaboration and expand our ability to quickly and effectively serve customers." Amazon continues strategic workforce reductions across multiple divisions Amazon conducted layoffs across multiple divisions, including approximately 100 employees from its devices and services division, which encompasses the Alexa voice assistant, Echo smart speakers, Ring video doorbells, and Zoox robotaxis businesses. The e-commerce giant also laid off dozens of workers in its communications department to help the company "move faster, increase ownership, strengthen culture, and bring teams closer to customers." These cuts are part of Amazon's broader cost-reduction strategy, having reduced its workforce by approximately 27,000 employees since the start of 2022. Blue Origin cuts 10% of workforce in space industry shakeup Jeff Bezos's space company Blue Origin laid off about 10% of its workforce, affecting more than 1,000 employees in what represents a significant reduction in the commercial space industry. CEO David Limp said the company's priority was "to scale manufacturing output and launch cadence with speed, decisiveness and efficiency for customers." The layoffs particularly targeted roles in engineering, research and development, and management positions. Limp acknowledged that rapid growth in recent years had created "more bureaucracy and less focus than needed," necessitating organizational changes to align with execution priorities. Salesforce eliminates over 1,000 positions despite strong performance Cloud-based customer management software company Salesforce cut more than 1,000 jobs from its nearly 73,000-strong workforce, despite reporting strong financial performance during its third-quarter earnings. The cuts come as the company actively recruits and hires workers to sell new AI products, indicating a strategic shift rather than financial distress. Affected employees are eligible to apply for open internal roles, particularly in sales positions focused on Salesforce's artificial intelligence-powered products. Workday reduces workforce by 8.5% in AI-focused restructuring Human resources software company Workday cut 8.5% of its workforce, eliminating around 1,750 employees as part of a strategic focus on artificial intelligence development. CEO Carl Eschenbach said the company would concentrate hiring in AI-related areas while expanding its global presence. The layoffs came with severance packages of at least 12 weeks of pay for affected employees. Eschenbach emphasized that "the environment we're operating in today demands a new approach, particularly given our size and scale." Nissan plans 20,000 job cuts Japanese automaker Nissan announced the most severe cuts in the automotive sector, planning to eliminate 20,000 jobs by 2027 while reducing its factory operations from 17 to 10 facilities. The job losses include 9,000 layoffs announced late last year and come as the automaker faces challenges from US tariffs on imported vehicles and collapsing sales in China. Nissan reported a net loss of 671 billion yen ($4.5 billion) for the 2024 financial year and declined to issue an operating profit forecast for 2025 due to tariff uncertainty. Block eliminates nearly 1,000 workers Jack Dorsey's fintech company Block laid off nearly 1,000 employees in its second major workforce reduction in just over a year. The company, which operates Square, Afterpay, CashApp, and Tidal, eliminated 931 positions representing around 8% of its workforce. The restructuring involved transitioning nearly 200 managers into non-management roles and closing almost 800 open positions. Dorsey announced the layoffs in an internal email titled "smaller block," emphasizing that the changes were not driven by financial targets or AI replacements but were part of streamlining operations. Cruise shuts down operations with 50% workforce elimination General Motors' autonomous vehicle subsidiary Cruise laid off 50% of its workforce as it prepared to shut down operations entirely. The cuts included CEO Marc Whitten and several other top executives, with the remaining portions of the company moving under General Motors' direct control. The dramatic reduction represents one of the most significant failures in the autonomous vehicle sector, eliminating hundreds of jobs as the company ceased its independent operations. Starbucks cuts 1,100 corporate employees in restructuring Coffee giant Starbucks eliminated 1,100 corporate employees as part of a comprehensive restructuring effort led by CEO Brian Niccol. The layoffs specifically targeted corporate staff and did not affect employees working in Starbucks stores. Niccol stated in a memo that the cuts would help Starbucks "operate more efficiently, increase accountability, reduce complexity and drive better integration." The company implemented the layoffs to improve results after sales declined in the previous year. CrowdStrike reduces global workforce by 500 employees Cybersecurity company CrowdStrike cut approximately 500 jobs, representing 5% of its global workforce of just over 10,000 employees. CEO George Kurtz said the Austin, Texas-based company's job cuts would position it "to move faster, operate more efficiently, and continue cybersecurity leadership." The layoffs came as CrowdStrike works to recover from a major software bug that temporarily disabled millions of Windows PCs worldwide, costing the company between $36 million and $53 million in restructuring expenses. Match group eliminates 13% of staff amid dating app struggles Match Group, owner of Tinder and Hinge, announced it would cut 13% of its approximately 2,500 full-time workers, eliminating around 325 positions. New CEO Spencer Rascoff implemented the cuts while addressing challenges in the dating app market, particularly with younger generations souring on dating platforms. The restructuring aims to remove one out of every five managers and focus on "product velocity" to drive growth, with Rascoff acknowledging that apps "have felt like a numbers game rather than a place to build real connections." Automattic cuts 16% of workforce affecting Tumblr and WordPress operations Automattic, the parent company of Tumblr and WordPress, eliminated 16% of its nearly 1,500-person global workforce. CEO Matt Mullenweg said the company had reached an "important crossroads" with revenue growth occurring in a highly competitive market where "technology is evolving at unprecedented levels." The restructuring aimed to improve "productivity, profitability, and capacity to invest" while the company offered severance and job placement resources to affected employees. Porsche plans 3,900 job reductions over multi-year period German luxury automaker Porsche announced plans to cut 3,900 jobs over the coming years as part of efficiency improvements. About 2,000 of the reductions will come from the expiration of fixed-term contractor positions, while the company will make the remaining 1,900 cuts by 2029 through natural attrition and limited hiring. Porsche said the changes would "make Porsche even more efficient in the medium and long term" while discussing additional potential changes with labor leaders. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
