MEMPHIS, TN – xAI, founded by Elon Musk, plans to enhance its Colossus supercomputer in Memphis to one million GPUs, as announced at the Greater Memphis Chamber's annual luncheon. Brent Mayo, xAI's Senior Director for Site Construction and Infrastructure, revealed the ambitious expansion during the event.
The Colossus supercomputer, which currently operates with 100,000 Nvidia GPUs, aims to compete with AI services like ChatGPT. This project is part of a multi-billion dollar initiative to establish a leading presence in artificial intelligence.
In June 2024, Musk stated that xAI would build the world's largest supercomputer in Memphis. The city is also set to host Dell, Nvidia, and Supermicro, all contributing to the Colossus project, positioning Memphis as a global AI hub.
Colossus was launched earlier this year in a repurposed Electrolux factory, with plans to double its GPU capacity to 200,000. Mayo emphasized Memphis as a pioneer in AI development, stating, "We are accelerating progress at an unprecedented rate while ensuring network stability with megapack technology."
Ted Townsend, CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber, noted the significance of xAI's establishment in the city, highlighting its potential impact on local growth and prosperity.
However, concerns have been raised by community activists regarding energy consumption and air quality linked to the project. The Memphis Chamber is forming a dedicated "xAI special operations team" to assist the company, led by Townsend and Troy Parkes.
Despite the ambitious plans, reports indicate challenges in acquiring the necessary GPUs due to high demand. Nvidia delivered 3.76 million data center GPUs in 2023.
Currently operational, the Colossus supercomputer has begun training Musk's AI chatbot, Grok, which has faced criticism for its lack of safeguards and controversial outputs.