Artificial Intelligence strategy unveiled by Verizon to meet future AI requirements
Verizon Announces Partnership with Vultr to Bolster AI Ecosystem
Verizon, a leading telecommunications company, has formed a new partnership with Vultr, a global GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS) and cloud computing provider. This partnership is part of Verizon's strategy to expand its AI ecosystem through key collaborations with tech giants such as NVIDIA, Vultr, Google Cloud, and Meta.
Verizon AI Connect, an integrated suite of solutions and products for deploying artificial intelligence (AI) workloads at scale, is designed to deliver AI workloads as needed. This positions the company to meet the current and future demand from hyperscalers, cloud providers, and global enterprises.
The shift towards real-time decision-making (inferencing) in AI is expected to drive demand for additional computing power, with 60-70% of AI workloads expected to shift to real-time inference by 2030. Verizon AI Connect supports this shift, offering low-latency connectivity, high-performance compute, and security tailored for AI workloads at scale.
Google Cloud expects to accelerate the development and deployment of AI solutions through Verizon's advanced network capabilities. Bikash Koley, Vice President of Global Networking and Infrastructure at Google, states that Verizon's robust network infrastructure can support demanding AI workloads. Google Cloud plans to leverage Verizon's network to transform its customer, employee, and network experience using Google Cloud's AI and data platform.
Meta aims to partner with Verizon to build and operate networks that support existing services, while accelerating more intelligent and predictive capabilities. Gaya Nagarajan, Vice President of Network Infrastructure at Meta, emphasizes the importance of strengthening network infrastructure with AI and the future in mind.
NVIDIA, a key player in AI GPU hardware and networking technologies, brings high-speed Ethernet solutions and is involved with advanced Ethernet standards (Ultra Ethernet) that aim to optimize network performance, reduce latency, and scale efficiently for AI and HPC (high-performance computing) workloads. Verizon’s AI Connect infrastructure likely benefits from NVIDIA’s technology for supporting large-scale AI clusters over Ethernet, which is becoming the preferred networking protocol among hyperscalers.
Ronnie Vasishta, Senior Vice President of Telecom at NVIDIA, believes that telecom networks are uniquely positioned to provide a distributed AI infrastructure that meets enterprise needs. Verizon and NVIDIA are collaborating to reimagine how GPU-based edge platforms can be integrated into Verizon's 5G private networks.
Vultr and others help expand the compute options available on the platform, contributing to flexible, scalable, and cost-effective AI compute environments. J.J. Kardwell, CEO of Vultr, highlights the crucial role GPUs play in powering AI workloads and the growing demand for AI infrastructure at the edge.
Verizon is building on its strategy to power the AI ecosystem, leveraging its intelligent and programmable network, 5G network, high-speed fiber connectivity, edge compute environments, and infrastructure for space, power, and cooling. Through Verizon AI Connect, Vultr aims to extend its global cloud footprint and bring cutting-edge AI solutions to Verizon Business' global customers.
Summary of Verizon AI Connect’s Role and Partnerships
| Aspect | Description | |----------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Core Role | Platform for delivering low-latency connectivity, compute, and secure AI workload management at scale. Enables distributed, real-time AI inference. | | Current Adoption | Live platform with major clients like Google Cloud and Meta using it for bandwidth-intensive AI workloads. | | Google Cloud | Uses Google Gemini AI models integrated for customer support and AI-enhanced services within Verizon’s infrastructure. | | Meta | Leverages Verizon’s network for low-latency, high-throughput AI applications. | | NVIDIA | Provides Ethernet-based high-performance networking tech optimized for AI workloads, complementing Verizon’s infrastructure. | | Vultr | Offers cloud compute resources expanding flexible and scalable AI compute options on the platform. | | Security | Scalable security solutions aligned with AI infrastructure needs to protect distributed workloads. | | Future Outlook | Expansion with fiber and 5G, enhanced AI-powered customer experience, and ecosystem growth via strategic partnerships to dominate AI infrastructure services. |
Verizon AI Connect exemplifies a transformative approach in telecommunications, positioning Verizon as a foundational AI infrastructure provider by combining its network excellence with cloud and AI tech leader partnerships to meet the exacting demands of modern AI workloads.
- The partnership between Verizon and Vultr in the finance sector could lead to faster deployment of AI solutions through Vultr's cloud computing resources and Verizon's advanced network capabilities, aiding in reducing latency and scaling efficiently for AI and high-performance computing workloads.
- As artificial-intelligence (AI) ecosystems continue to grow, the strategic partnerships of Verizon with tech giants such as NVIDIA, Google Cloud, and Meta are expected to enhance security tailored for AI workloads at scale, catering to the increasing demand for real-time inference by 2030, thereby bolstering the AI technology landscape.
