NVIDIA Blackwell Achieves Llama Training Records While AMD Improves Performance

The artificial intelligence sector is currently experiencing a period of rapid advancement and diverse developments, ranging from record-breaking performance in AI training to new applications, educational shifts, and ongoing debates about its societal impact and security. NVIDIA has once again asserted its dominance in AI training, with its Blackwell architecture, including both Blackwell and Blackwell Ultra GPUs, achieving the fastest training times across all MLPerf Training v5.1 benchmarks. Notably, NVIDIA was the only company to submit results for all seven benchmarks, showcasing the first FP4 training submissions using NVFP4. The Blackwell Ultra-based GB300 NVL72 platform, for example, trained Llama 3.1 405B in a remarkable 10 minutes using 5,120 Blackwell GPUs, demonstrating up to five times better performance compared to older Hopper-based systems. NVIDIA credits these impressive results to its CUDA software, Quantum-X800 InfiniBand networking, and the use of FP4 precision. While NVIDIA led the pack, AMD also presented strong results in the MLPerf benchmarks, nearly matching NVIDIA's speeds using higher 8-bit precision. AMD's MI355X generation showed a two to three times performance improvement over its predecessor, intensifying the discussion over optimal precision levels for AI training. Beyond hardware, AI's integration into daily life and various industries continues to expand. Bank of America's AI chatbot, Erica, now handles millions of customer questions daily, effectively performing the work of 11,000 employees and contributing to a significant reduction in consumer staff since 2011. Waymo self-driving cars are also expanding their presence on freeways in major U.S. cities. Yann LeCun, a pioneer in convolutional neural networks and hired by Mark Zuckerberg in 2013 to build Facebook's AI lab, continues to push for AI that can reason like humans. New AI tools are emerging to enhance specific functions. Quiq introduced Conversation Analyst, an agentic AI solution for contact centers that analyzes all conversations across multiple channels to improve customer service and agent performance. In education, professors Michael Peters and Cormac O'Dea are allowing students in introductory economics courses to use AI tools like ChatGPT for problem sets, grading based on completion rather than correctness due to AI's ability to provide near-perfect answers. However, they caution against over-reliance and the potential for incorrect information. For professionals, Interview Kickstart launched a 14-week AI Agent-Driven Product Strategy Course on November 11, 2025, designed to equip experienced tech professionals with skills in integrating AI into product design and decision-making. The role of AI in product design itself is evolving, with firms like ustwo finding that while AI excels at pattern recognition and content generation, human creativity and cultural understanding remain crucial for complex decisions. This highlights AI's role as a powerful tool rather than a full teammate. Meanwhile, the "Secure AI by Design" policy roadmap is addressing the critical need to close security gaps in rapidly deploying AI systems. Traditional cybersecurity measures are proving insufficient against unique AI threats like prompt injection and data poisoning, prompting government actions like a Presidential Executive Order and the AI Action Plan to build trust in AI systems. Not all AI debuts are smooth, as seen with Russia's first humanoid AI robot, AIdol. During its official unveiling at a Moscow technology event, AIdol, developed by Idol, took a few shaky steps before falling over. CEO Vladimir Vitukhin attributed the incident to calibration issues, noting the robot is still in its testing phase, despite its developers' hopes for it to represent Russia's self-reliance in robotics. Finally, the broader financial implications of AI are a subject of ongoing debate among Wall Street experts, including Lou Basenese from Prairie Operating Co., who are discussing whether the artificial intelligence market is experiencing a bubble and what factors will drive future gains in technology stocks.

Key Takeaways

  • NVIDIA's Blackwell architecture, including Blackwell and Blackwell Ultra GPUs, achieved the fastest training times across all MLPerf Training v5.1 benchmarks, being the only company to submit results for all seven.
  • NVIDIA's Blackwell Ultra-based GB300 NVL72 platform trained Llama 3.1 405B in a record 10 minutes using 5,120 Blackwell GPUs, demonstrating up to five times better performance than Hopper-based systems.
  • AMD's MI355X generation showed a two to three times performance improvement over its predecessor in MLPerf benchmarks, nearly matching NVIDIA's speeds using 8-bit precision.
  • Russia's first humanoid AI robot, AIdol, developed by Idol, fell during its public debut in Moscow due to calibration issues, according to CEO Vladimir Vitukhin.
  • Bank of America's AI chatbot, Erica, handles millions of customer questions daily, performing the work of 11,000 employees and contributing to significant staff reductions since 2011.
  • Quiq launched Conversation Analyst, an agentic AI solution for contact centers that analyzes all conversations across multiple channels to improve customer service and agent performance.
  • Introductory economics courses, led by professors Michael Peters and Cormac O'Dea, now allow students to use AI tools like ChatGPT for problem sets, grading for completion due to AI's near-perfect answers.
  • Interview Kickstart launched a 14-week AI Agent-Driven Product Strategy Course on November 11, 2025, to train experienced tech professionals in integrating AI into product design.
  • The "Secure AI by Design" policy roadmap aims to address security gaps in rapidly deploying AI systems, recognizing that traditional cybersecurity is insufficient against unique AI threats like prompt injection.
  • Wall Street experts are debating whether the AI market is experiencing a bubble, with discussions focusing on future drivers for technology stock growth.

NVIDIA Blackwell Wins All MLPerf AI Training Tests

NVIDIA's Blackwell architecture achieved the fastest training times across all MLPerf Training v5.1 benchmarks. This includes both Blackwell and Blackwell Ultra GPUs, which showed top performance at various scales. NVIDIA was also the only company to submit results for all seven benchmarks. Key innovations include the first FP4 training submissions using NVFP4 and significant improvements in Blackwell Ultra GPUs. These GPUs offer 1.5 times faster NVFP4 throughput and 2 times faster Softmax for attention, boosting large language model training.

Nvidia and AMD Battle in AI Training Benchmarks

The AI training market continues to grow, with Nvidia and AMD showcasing their latest hardware in MLPerf benchmarks. Nvidia won every benchmark by using 4-bit floating point, or NVFP4, for the first time in training. Their Blackwell Ultra GPUs and GB300 systems showed a 4 to 5 times performance boost over the Hopper generation. AMD also performed very well, nearly matching Nvidia's speeds using higher 8-bit precision. AMD's MI355X generation improved 2 to 3 times over its predecessor. This sets up a debate about the best precision for AI training, though both companies continue to innovate.

NVIDIA Blackwell Ultra Dominates MLPerf AI Training

NVIDIA's Blackwell Ultra-based GB300 NVL72 platform has won every MLPerf AI training benchmark. The company announced its GPUs achieved the top spot in all tests, showing leading performance for intense AI tasks. For example, it trained Llama 3.1 405B in a record 10 minutes using 5,120 Blackwell GPUs. The GB300 GPUs also showed up to five times better performance compared to older Hopper-based systems. NVIDIA credits its CUDA software, Quantum-X800 InfiniBand networking, and the use of FP4 precision for these impressive results.

Russia's AIdol Robot Falls During Public Debut

Russia's first humanoid AI robot, AIdol, fell over just seconds into its official unveiling at a Moscow technology event. The robot, created by Idol, took a few shaky steps before losing balance and collapsing on stage. Staff quickly tried to cover the fallen machine with a curtain. Idol CEO Vladimir Vitukhin explained the fall was due to calibration issues, as the robot is still in its testing phase. Despite the setback, developers say AIdol represents a step towards Russia's self-reliance in robotics. The robot, which runs on a 48-volt battery, can reportedly smile, think, and be surprised.

Russian Robot AIdol Tumbles at Moscow Event

Russia's first human-like robot, AIdol, experienced a mishap during its debut at a technology event in Moscow. The robot was being guided onto the stage when it suddenly lost its balance and fell. Assistants quickly rushed to cover AIdol with a cloth, which became tangled in the process. This event occurred just seconds after the robot's public unveiling.

JuicyChat AI Offers Unfiltered Companion Experience

JuicyChat AI is a new platform offering "unfiltered" AI companions for role-play and creative storytelling. It targets adults seeking highly customizable AI interactions, including romantic or flirting scenarios. The platform provides voice responses and text-to-image generation, allowing users to create unique characters and immersive multimedia experiences. While it boasts deep personalization and a community for user-made characters, official technical details and privacy guarantees are limited. JuicyChat AI is available on the web and may have an iOS presence.

Interview Kickstart Launches AI Product Strategy Course

Interview Kickstart, a U.S. technical upskilling platform, launched a new 14-week AI Agent-Driven Product Strategy Course on November 11, 2025. This program helps experienced tech professionals, like product managers, learn to integrate AI into product design and decision-making. Experts from top tech companies, including FAANG, teach the course through live sessions and hands-on projects. The curriculum covers topics such as Agentic AI foundations, prompt engineering, and LLM integration. A special module also prepares participants for interviews at leading AI leadership roles.

Economics Classes Allow AI for Homework Grading

Introductory economics courses are now allowing students to use AI for problem sets and are grading them based on completion. Professors Michael Peters and Cormac O'Dea believe AI tools, like ChatGPT, can be effective for discussing questions or finding starting points. They changed grading because AI can answer problems almost perfectly, and grading for correctness would unfairly penalize students who work independently. However, professors warn that relying too much on AI can stop students from developing real problem-solving skills. They also caution that AI chatbots can sometimes give wrong answers.

Quiq Launches AI Tool for Contact Center Quality

Quiq, a leader in AI for customer experience, introduced a new agentic AI solution called Conversation Analyst. This tool helps contact centers improve customer service by analyzing every conversation from both AI and human agents. It works across many channels, including voice, web chat, and messaging apps like WhatsApp. Conversation Analyst uses AI to score conversations, find trends, and suggest ways to improve agent performance. This new solution aims to replace old manual quality checks, helping businesses save money and build stronger customer loyalty.

Experts Discuss AI Market Future and Tech Stock Growth

Wall Street experts are currently debating whether the artificial intelligence market is experiencing a bubble. Lou Basenese from Prairie Operating Co., along with Yahoo Finance reporters Jennifer Schonberger and Brooke DiPalma, joined Brian Sozzi on Opening Bid to discuss this topic. They examined what could be the next major factor to drive gains in technology stocks. The discussion focused on understanding the future direction of the AI trade and its impact on market performance.

AI in Product Design Tool or Teammate

AI is rapidly changing how digital products are designed, raising questions about its role as a tool, teammate, or threat. While AI excels at finding patterns and generating content quickly, it often lacks originality, leading to similar-looking designs. A recent project for Soph's Plant Kitchen helped ustwo explore how AI fits into product development. The firm found that human involvement is crucial to bring creativity, emotion, and cultural understanding to designs. Therefore, AI should be seen as a powerful tool for specific tasks, but not as a full teammate for complex decisions.

New Plan for Secure AI Development

A new policy roadmap called "Secure AI by Design" aims to close the security gap in the fast-growing world of artificial intelligence. As AI becomes deeply integrated into businesses and governments, its rapid deployment has outpaced security measures. Traditional cybersecurity solutions cannot fully protect AI systems from unique threats like prompt injection or data poisoning. Recent government actions, including a Presidential Executive Order and the AI Action Plan, recognize the need for secure AI development. Palo Alto Networks is committed to this approach, focusing on securing AI tools, agents, applications, and infrastructure. This plan seeks to build trust in AI systems for confident use.

AI Speeds Up Changing Daily Life

Artificial intelligence is rapidly accelerating and changing daily life, as seen with Waymo self-driving cars now on freeways in major US cities. Bank of America's AI chatbot, Erica, handles millions of customer questions each day, doing the work of 11,000 employees. This technological advancement has allowed the bank to significantly reduce its consumer staff since 2011. The foundation for much of this AI progress comes from pioneers like Yann LeCun, who invented convolutional neural networks that power technologies from facial recognition to self-driving cars. LeCun, hired by Mark Zuckerberg in 2013 to build Facebook's AI lab, now aims for AI to reason like humans.

Sources

NOTE:

This news brief was generated using AI technology (including, but not limited to, Google Gemini API, Llama, Grok, and Mistral) from aggregated news articles, with minimal to no human editing/review. It is provided for informational purposes only and may contain inaccuracies or biases. This is not financial, investment, or professional advice. If you have any questions or concerns, please verify all information with the linked original articles in the Sources section below.

NVIDIA Blackwell Architecture MLPerf Benchmarks AI Training GPUs FP4 Precision LLM Training AMD AI Hardware Humanoid Robots AIdol Robot AI Companions Generative AI Text-to-Image AI Product Strategy Agentic AI Prompt Engineering LLM Integration AI in Education ChatGPT Contact Center AI Customer Service AI AI Market Tech Stocks AI in Product Design AI Security Cybersecurity Self-driving Cars AI Chatbots Convolutional Neural Networks Robotics Digital Transformation AI Policy Upskilling Data Poisoning Prompt Injection Waymo Bank of America Erica AI

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