Microsoft’s Maia AI Chip Delayed to 2026
Microsoft’s next-generation Maia AI chip, code-named Braga, is facing a delay of at least six months. This pushes its mass production to 2026 from 2025. The Information reported this on Friday, citing three people involved in the effort.
The Braga chip will likely fall short of Nvidia’s Blackwell chip performance. Nvidia’s chip was released late last year. Microsoft had hoped to use the Braga chip in its data centers this year. However, design changes, staffing constraints, and high turnover are causing delays.
Microsoft is developing custom processors for AI operations and general-purpose applications. This move aims to reduce reliance on pricey Nvidia chips. Other tech giants like Amazon and Google are also developing custom chips. Google’s Tensor Processing Units have seen success, and Amazon’s Trainium3 chip is set to release late this year.
Microsoft introduced the Maia chip in November 2023 but has lagged in scaling it up.