Just tomorrow! NVIDIA will unveil the details of the Blackwell architecture
NVIDIA will also demonstrate how to run large models on Blackwell. Citigroup expects NVIDIA to introduce alternative solutions for the Blackwell series chips during the Hot Chips conference
Author: Li Xiaoyin
Source: Hard AI
NVIDIA plans to announce the "New Architecture Details" of Blackwell at Hot Chips 2024 next week.
From August 25th to 27th, the annual top chip event Hot Chips will be held at the Memorial Hall of Stanford University in the United States.
In their latest blog post, NVIDIA stated that a presentation on the 26th will focus on introducing the architecture details of Blackwell and demonstrate how to run generative AI models on Blackwell.
The lecture will be hosted by NVIDIA's Chief Architect Ajay Tirumala and Raymond Wong, mainly discussing how these technologies work together to enhance accelerated computing performance and energy efficiency.
NVIDIA describes the Blackwell architecture as the ultimate solution for a universal computing full-stack matrix, consisting of multiple NVIDIA chips, including the Blackwell GPU, Grace CPU, BlueField data processing unit, ConnectX network interface card, NVLink switch, Spectrum Ethernet switch, and Quantum InfiniBand switch.
Another focus of this lecture is the multi-node liquid cooling system of NVIDIA's GB200 NVL72, which is equipped with 72 Blackwell GPUs and 36 Grace CPUs, supporting NVLink interconnect technology that promotes GPU communication for greater throughput and low-latency inference.
Additionally, Tirumala and Wong will also introduce the upcoming Quasar Quantization System. This system combines algorithm innovation, NVIDIA software libraries and tools, and Blackwell's second-generation Transformer engine, with a focus on how the system uses LLMs (Large Language Models) and visual generative artificial intelligence.
Considering NVIDIA's previous announcement of delaying the mass production of the Blackwell series chips, Citigroup's research report released on the 23rd predicts that NVIDIA will introduce alternative solutions during the Hot Chips conference, such as using the B200A on the custom MGX system with NVL8 before the mass production of GB200 NVL72/36*2.
It is worth noting that after the end of Hot Chips 2024, NVIDIA will also announce its second-quarter performance report for 2024 in the after-hours trading session of the U.S. stock market.
Citigroup believes that any new information before the Q2 earnings call next week will help investors set reasonable growth expectations for the Blackwell platform. The report shows that based on NVIDIA's 2025 expected P/E ratio of 35 times (lower than the 3-year and 5-year averages), setting a target price of $150 for the company still offers an upside potential of 15.95% compared to its closing price on Friday.
The report also points out that if the adoption speed of the new series of chips is slower than expected, it may lead to a decline in sales for the data center and gaming businesses, posing downside risks to the stock price