AMD has announced an expanded strategic partnership with Microsoft Azure, focusing on AI infrastructure. Microsoft will deploy the AMD Helios Rackscale Solution to power frontier model AI inference for its services and customers. This solution integrates AMD Instinct MI455X GPUs, AMD EPYC "Venice" CPUs, and Pensando networking, built for large-scale AI training and inference.

Azure will also introduce two new VM series powered by 6th Gen AMD EPYC "Venice" processors: Azure HDv2 for agentic AI and data pipelines, and Azure HXv2 for semiconductor design. This broadens Azure's AMD EPYC offerings for AI, data, and engineering workloads.

The collaboration further enhances Azure's networking capabilities by integrating Azure Boost with AMD technologies, building on Microsoft's deployment of AMD Pensando DPUs. This aims to improve networking performance and efficiency at cloud scale. AMD will begin shipping Helios to customers, including Microsoft, in the second half of 2026, underscoring a commitment to delivering high-performance, open infrastructure for the evolving AI landscape.