Positron AI

Positron AI is a new and exciting company based in Reno. It started in 2023. Positron is making a big splash in the AI hardware world. It is challenging Nvidia''s GPUs, which have been popular for a long time. Thomas Sohmers and Mitesh Agrawal lead the company. They make special chips for AI tasks. These chips help with the growing need for efficiency in AI work, especially with large language models.

Benefits
Positron AI has several important benefits. The company''s main product is the Atlas system. It is designed to be very efficient and affordable. It can be 70 percent faster. It also offers 3.5 times better performance for each dollar and watt spent. Plus, it uses over 93 percent of memory bandwidth compared to Nvidia''s GPUs. This makes it a great choice for businesses wanting to improve their AI operations.

The Atlas system uses Intel''s Altera FPGAs. This allows for quick changes and customization based on what customers want. This helps Positron avoid the long and expensive process of making an ASIC until they are sure it will work well. The system comes as a 4U appliance with four FPGA cards or as standalone PCIe cards. This makes it easy to use with popular platforms like Hugging Face and OpenAI APIs.

Use Cases
The Atlas system is perfect for businesses that use a lot of AI inference, especially those using transformer models. It makes buying easier and switching from Nvidia systems simple. This is great for companies wanting to upgrade their AI setup without big changes.

The system''s energy efficiency and affordability make it good for many uses, from data centers to cloud services. It can handle large language models well, making it useful for AI research and development.

Additional Information
Positron AI has already sent out hundreds of PCIe cards and plans to make more. The company will launch a custom ASIC in 2026. This ASIC will have the highest memory capacity available. It aims to beat Nvidia''s Ruben platform in performance for each dollar.

Positron focuses on energy efficiency and affordability. This matches the growing need for sustainable AI solutions. The company''s U.S.-based supply chain, with FPGAs made in Arizona and ASICs planned via Intel Foundry Services, also fits with ''Made in America'' goals. This local focus could help spread AI innovation, much like how blockchain pushed compute closer to the edge.

Positron is also investing in its local area. It plans to grow its workforce in Reno and attract top talent. The startup has support from Governor Joe Lombardo and University of Nevada, Reno President Brian Sandoval. This helps Positron become a big part of Northern Nevada.

The company''s Test Flight program offers free trials of Atlas servers. This makes it easier for people to try it out. Early shipments have already built excitement. Despite Nvidia''s strong presence, Positron''s focus on AI needs and energy efficiency makes it a strong new player in the AI infrastructure market.