AMD on Monday introduced Helion, an open blueprint for rack-scale infrastructure purpose-built for agentic AI workloads, unveiled at the OCP Global Summit in San Jose.
The solution is based on an Open Compute Project (OCP) specification design and is powered by AMD compute. Helion rack configurations are currently under development with a slate of ecosystem partners — Cisco, Dell Technologies, Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn), HPE, Lenovo, QCT, Supermicro and Wiwynn.
Built for varied agent workloads
"Agentic AI is not a single workload. It spans personal agents, enterprise applications, code execution and complex workflows, each with different compute requirements," said Dan McNamara, senior vice president and general manager for compute and enterprise AI at AMD. With Helion, he said, AMD is combining EPYC performance, open software and flexible rack designs so partners can build systems around customer needs and make efficient use of available power.
The design aims to let customers match CPU performance, core density and power with GPU acceleration for the work their AI agents perform. Helion combines open hardware and software with an integrated token router that directs agents' model calls across frontier and open-source models.
Configurations and availability
A CPU-only rack powered by 6th Gen AMD EPYC 'Venice' processors can support up to 32,768 CPU cores, targeting hyperscale deployments. An all-in-one rack option combines EPYC CPU nodes, AMD Instinct MI350P GPU nodes and general-purpose compute on a single platform, aimed at enterprise agentic AI applications. Configurations will come in liquid- and air-cooled versions, and AMD plans to contribute the Helion specification to OCP for community development and adoption.
The configurations are expected to be available in November 2026, and AMD says customers will be able to deploy agentic AI within their existing IT infrastructure. Helion builds on the open-platform approach of AMD's Helios rackscale solution, launched earlier this year.
Sources:
ETTelecom — AMD Introduces Helion Rack Solution for Advanced Agentic AI Infrastructure
AMD Newsroom — Introducing AMD Helion, Agentic AI Compute at Rack Scale
Data Center Dynamics — AMD unveils CPU-only Helion rack to support agentic AI workloads
The solution is based on an Open Compute Project (OCP) specification design and is powered by AMD compute. Helion rack configurations are currently under development with a slate of ecosystem partners — Cisco, Dell Technologies, Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn), HPE, Lenovo, QCT, Supermicro and Wiwynn.
Built for varied agent workloads
"Agentic AI is not a single workload. It spans personal agents, enterprise applications, code execution and complex workflows, each with different compute requirements," said Dan McNamara, senior vice president and general manager for compute and enterprise AI at AMD. With Helion, he said, AMD is combining EPYC performance, open software and flexible rack designs so partners can build systems around customer needs and make efficient use of available power.
The design aims to let customers match CPU performance, core density and power with GPU acceleration for the work their AI agents perform. Helion combines open hardware and software with an integrated token router that directs agents' model calls across frontier and open-source models.
Configurations and availability
A CPU-only rack powered by 6th Gen AMD EPYC 'Venice' processors can support up to 32,768 CPU cores, targeting hyperscale deployments. An all-in-one rack option combines EPYC CPU nodes, AMD Instinct MI350P GPU nodes and general-purpose compute on a single platform, aimed at enterprise agentic AI applications. Configurations will come in liquid- and air-cooled versions, and AMD plans to contribute the Helion specification to OCP for community development and adoption.
The configurations are expected to be available in November 2026, and AMD says customers will be able to deploy agentic AI within their existing IT infrastructure. Helion builds on the open-platform approach of AMD's Helios rackscale solution, launched earlier this year.
Sources:
ETTelecom — AMD Introduces Helion Rack Solution for Advanced Agentic AI Infrastructure
AMD Newsroom — Introducing AMD Helion, Agentic AI Compute at Rack Scale
Data Center Dynamics — AMD unveils CPU-only Helion rack to support agentic AI workloads
