Akamai Building Global AI Platform with Nvidia GPUs
Akamai is deploying thousands of Nvidia's new Blackwell GPUs to build one of the world's most widely distributed AI platforms. The move is a direct response to the intense demand for geographically distributed, low-latency inference, which is critical for time-sensitive video platforms serving news clients.
This deployment is a key part of Akamai's strategy to grow its cloud computing business into a $1 billion segment by 2027, leveraging its vast edge network to compete with hyperscalers like AWS and Google Cloud in high-performance, distributed computing. For the fiscal year 2024, Akamai's cloud revenue saw a 25% increase, reaching $630 million. Nvidia's Blackwell architecture represents a significant leap in processing power, with each GPU featuring 208 billion transistors. The full GB200 "superchip" combines a high-performance Grace CPU with two Blackwell GPUs, connected by a 900GB/s NVLink that is 7 times faster than standard PCIe connections. This new hardware delivers up to 30 times faster real-time inference for large language models compared to the previous generation. This performance comes at a premium, with estimates placing the cost of a single GB200 superchip between $60,000 and $70,000, and a fully equipped server rack at approximately $3 million. The partnership, branded as the Akamai Inference Cloud, aims to move AI processing from centralized data centers to the network edge. By integrating Nvidia's technology into Akamai's globally distributed infrastructure, the platform is designed to significantly reduce latency for AI-driven applications that require instantaneous responses. For newsroom video platforms, this architecture addresses the critical need for low-latency processing in live workflows. Geographically distributing AI inference enables real-time, automated tasks like video analysis, highlight generation, and content personalization directly where the content is being ingested or consumed, a crucial capability for breaking news. This collaboration builds on a pre-existing relationship between the two companies focused on cybersecurity. Akamai already utilizes Nvidia's BlueField data processing units (DPUs) to enforce Zero Trust security policies in critical infrastructure, indicating a deeper integration of Nvidia's hardware across Akamai's service offerings.
