AMD Helios Powers Azure AI Inference

Microsoft is deploying AMD's Helios AI inference platform on Azure, integrating new EPYC CPUs and Instinct GPUs to power frontier models and AI services.

Jul 20 at 1:02 PM6 min read

AMD Helios Rackscale Solution hardware components — AMD's Helios platform integrates GPUs, CPUs, and networking for AI.· AMD

Visual TL;DR. Azure AI Inference needs AMD Helios Platform. AMD Helios Platform includes Instinct MI455X GPUs. AMD Helios Platform includes EPYC "Venice" CPUs. AMD Helios Platform uses ROCm Software Stack. EPYC "Venice" CPUs powers New Azure VMs. AMD Helios Platform enables Enhanced AI Services. Enhanced AI Services strengthens Strategic Partnership.

Azure AI Inference: bolstering capabilities for Microsoft's frontier models and AI services
AMD Helios Platform: comprehensive solution for large-scale AI training and inference workloads
Instinct MI455X GPUs: integrating powerful AMD Instinct GPUs for accelerated AI computations
EPYC "Venice" CPUs: deploying 6th Gen AMD EPYC processors for core computing power
ROCm Software Stack: utilizing AMD's open software for GPU programming and AI development
New Azure VMs: introducing HDv2 and HXv2 series for agentic AI and design workloads
Enhanced AI Services: powering Microsoft's growing roster of AI customers and services
Strategic Partnership: deepening collaboration between Microsoft and AMD for future innovations

Visual TL;DRQuickExplainDeeper

Microsoft is deepening its strategic partnership with AMD, announcing a major deployment of AMD's Helios Rackscale Solution on Azure. This move aims to bolster AI inference capabilities for Microsoft's own frontier models, its growing roster of AI customers, and its suite of Microsoft Azure AI services.

The integration centers on the AMD Helios platform, a comprehensive solution designed for large-scale AI training and inference. Helios combines AMD Instinct MI455X GPUs, AMD Instinct MI455X accelerators, AMD EPYC "Venice" CPUs, Pensando networking technology, and the ROCm software stack.

Microsoft will also introduce two new virtual machine series on Azure, powered by 6th Gen AMD EPYC "Venice" processors. These VMs, Azure HDv2 and HXv2, are targeted at agentic AI, data pipelines, and semiconductor design workloads, respectively, expanding Azure's AMD EPYC portfolio.

The collaboration extends to the network layer, with Microsoft increasing its use of AMD Pensando DPUs. This integration, coupled with Azure Boost, is designed to enhance cloud networking performance and efficiency.

AMD expects to begin shipping Helios to customers, including Microsoft, in the latter half of 2026.

© 2026 StartupHub.ai. All rights reserved. Do not enter, scrape, copy, reproduce, or republish this article in whole or in part. Use as input to AI training, fine-tuning, retrieval-augmented generation, or any machine-learning system is prohibited without written license. Substantially-similar derivative works will be pursued to the fullest extent of applicable copyright, database, and computer-misuse laws. See our terms.

#AMD #Microsoft Azure #AI Inference #Helios #Instinct MI455X #EPYC Venice #Pensando DPU #Cloud Computing #Artificial Intelligence