Vapor IO and Supermicro are announcing a groundbreaking collaboration called Zero Gap™ AI, powered by the NVIDIA MGX platform with the NVIDIA GH200 Grace Hopper Superchip. Zero Gap AI is a unique 5G- and AI-as-a-Service platform, operated by Vapor IO, that delivers private 5G and GPU-based micro-clouds to specific locations, directly adjacent to where the capabilities are needed, such as next to retail storefronts, factory floors, and city intersections. The platform makes it possible to deliver hyperlocal AI services over private wired and wireless networks without running servers on premises. By offering extremely fast response times, reduced reliance on centralized computing, and the ability to handle sensitive data locally, Zero Gap AI can help transform how enterprises and municipalities utilize AI.
The core of Zero Gap AI is built around Supermicro servers that implement the NVIDIA MGX platform with the GH200 Grace Hopper Superchip, which has a breakthrough design that forms a high-bandwidth connection between the NVIDIA Grace CPU and the NVIDIA Hopper architecture-based GPU for high-performance accelerated computing and AI servers. These high-performance servers are being deployed in specific geographies across Vapor IO’s Kinetic Grid platform, which is currently available in 36 U.S. cities. The optimized design of Supermicro’s NVIDIA MGX server portfolio makes it easy to support a wide variety of use cases, from real-time inferencing to supercomputing at the edge. The Supermicro MGX servers with the GH200 Superchip can support 5G and AI running on the same machine. This flexibility makes it possible to optimize Zero Gap AI offerings for different use cases.
“Our customers have made it clear they want comprehensive solutions,” says Cole Crawford, Vapor IO’s founder and CEO. “Until now, the challenge has been the high costs and complexities of creating AI clusters in precise locations, not to mention managing the intricate dance of AI orchestration. For those aiming to achieve real-time inferencing, Zero Gap AI presents the ideal architecture. By eliminating the need for onsite AI and 5G hardware and leveraging private fiber from nearby access points, we’re simplifying the process and cutting costs, enabling a seamless adoption and expansion of AI capabilities for businesses and municipalities alike.”
By combining hyperlocal AI-as-a-Service with private networking, Zero Gap AI is unlocking new, cost-effective ways to deliver AI services at scale. For example,
- A multi-location retailer can use Zero Gap AI to deploy an AI-driven automated checkout system without putting expensive AI equipment in each store.
- A municipality can use Zero Gap AI computer vision services to deploy a pedestrian safety capability to hundreds of busy intersections without putting equipment on every corner.
- A manufacturer can use Zero Gap AI real-time inferencing to support highly reliable factory IoT, reducing risk and lowering capital expenditures.
The companies expect to see a lot of demand for Zero Gap AI from the following verticals: smart cities, healthcare, retail, warehouse and logistics, hospitality, transportation, public venues, and manufacturing.
“Supermicro is excited to collaborate with Vapor IO and their Zero Gap AI platform,” said Don Clegg, senior vice president, Worldwide Sales, Supermicro. “Leveraging Supermicro’s NVIDIA MGXTM system portfolio combined with Vapor IO’s 5G- and AI-as-a-Service can bring AI processing power and 5G to the intelligent edge. Companies that embrace this technology will have a competitive advantage in the market.”
The Power of Local AI Clouds
The Zero Gap AI platform delivers AI access points across an entire market, creating a mesh-like network grid for AI. This highly distributed architecture and its automation capabilities make it possible to spin up AI micro-clouds where they are precisely needed—such as adjacent to a nearby factory or local hospital—on demand and instantaneously. Because Zero Gap AI is delivered locally, the data being analyzed can stay local, avoiding the need to send data to a centralized cloud. This can save time and money while also providing fine-grained control over data sovereignty, locality, and compliance.
Wired or Wireless
Zero Gap AI makes it possible to deliver AI services over wired and wireless networks. The most common configuration uses direct fiber that runs from one or more Zero Gap AI access nodes. The standard Zero Gap AI configuration includes a high-speed private network connection, typically over dedicated fiber or via an existing last-mile network. If further on-site distribution is required, such as across a large factory floor or warehouse, the built-in private 5G can be employed to provide wireless access as well.
Key Features and Benefits of Zero Gap AI:
- Seamless Integration: Effortlessly extends existing on-premises AI capabilities with additional resources, ensuring a smooth and integrated experience.
- On-Demand Scalability: Provides scalable GPU resources and inferencing services to meet fluctuating demands without the need for significant upfront investments.
- Ultra-Low Latency: Near-zero latency ensures real-time data processing and decision-making, crucial for time-sensitive AI applications.
- High Reliability: Vapor IO’s Zero Gap network is designed for zero downtime and zero congestion to deliver consistent and uninterrupted service.
- Cost-Effective: Reduces the need for extensive on-premises infrastructure, lowering operational and capital expenditures. Customers can purchase AI services on a consumption basis or a flat monthly rate.
- 5G Built-In: The NVIDIA MGX platform makes it possible to deliver 5G services in combination with AI capabilities. This lets Zero Gap AI customers deliver AI to both connected and mobile devices with the highest possible performance and reliability.
The Zero Gap AI platform specializes in delivering AI and 5G services using NVIDIA technology, offering a wide range of machines and instance types. Zero Gap AI customers can work at whatever level they prefer. They can operate at a low level with bare-metal instances, or they can use prepackaged third-party models and solutions for specific use cases, including those for smart retail, smart manufacturing, and smart cities.
Zero Gap AI in Comcast Pilot Markets
Zero Gap AI will be available first in Atlanta and Chicago, where the platform can take advantage of Comcast’s extensive network infrastructure, close to customers, to deliver faster and more powerful applications and services, like real-time video processing and augmented reality experiences. Zero Gap AI is now included in the integration work that Vapor IO and Comcast announced last year.
“Our low-latency, high-bandwidth network and connectivity services unlock a world of applications for large and small businesses, residences and mobile customers,” said Elad Nafshi, Chief Network Officer, Comcast. “We’re continuously innovating and collaborating with partners like Vapor IO to identify new ways to leverage our network, and Zero Gap AI is a unique opportunity to expand the limits of what we can do together with edge computing services.”
SOURCE: BusinessWire