In a bold move to challenge Nvidia's dominance, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) unveiled a suite of new artificial intelligence processors at the CES 2026 trade show in Las Vegas. Led by CEO Lisa Su, the company showcased its advanced data center and enterprise AI chips, securing a significant vote of confidence from key partner OpenAI.
AMD's AI Arsenal: From Data Centers to Humanoid Robots
The star of the show was the MI455 AI processor, a key component for the data center server racks AMD is supplying to firms like ChatGPT creator OpenAI. For businesses looking to integrate AI into existing infrastructure, AMD introduced the MI440X, an enterprise version of its MI400 series chip designed for on-premise use. Notably, a version of this earlier chip is slated for use in a planned U.S. supercomputer.
Highlighting the critical nature of this partnership, OpenAI President Greg Brockman joined Su on stage, emphasizing that chip advancements are vital for meeting OpenAI's massive computing demands. Looking ahead, Su gave a preview of the future MI500 chip, claiming it would deliver a staggering 1,000 times the performance of an older processor version, with a launch target set for 2027.
The event also featured a demonstration of AI's physical applications. Daniele Pucci, CEO of Italian AI firm Generative Bionics, unveiled the GENE.01 humanoid robot, announcing that the first commercial units would be manufactured in the second half of 2026.
The Nvidia Challenge and the OpenAI Confidence Boost
Despite being one of Nvidia's strongest rivals, AMD has historically struggled to match its competitor's commercial success in the AI chip market. However, a landmark deal signed with OpenAI in October represents a major breakthrough. This agreement is expected to add billions of dollars to AMD's annual revenue and serves as a powerful endorsement of its AI hardware and software capabilities.
The first deployment of AI chips incorporating AMD's MI400 series is scheduled to roll out later this year. While analysts note this is unlikely to immediately dent Nvidia's dominance—as the market leader sells every chip it can make—the OpenAI deal positions AMD as a serious alternative for major AI developers.
AI Comes to the Personal Computer
AMD's CES announcements weren't limited to data centers. The company also launched its Ryzen AI 400 Series processors for next-generation AI PCs. Alongside these, it introduced Ryzen AI Max+ chips, designed to handle advanced local AI inference tasks and gaming on personal computers, bringing powerful AI capabilities directly to users' desktops and laptops.
The CES stage saw fierce competition, with Nvidia also showcasing its next-generation Vera Rubin platform, a system comprising six separate chips that CEO Jensen Huang stated is already in full production and expected to debut later in 2026. Intel, too, held a launch event for its Panther Lake chips, indicating a fiercely competitive year ahead for AI computing across all segments.
