Scientists achieve 3D chip breakthrough to accelerate AI (engineering.stanford.edu)

Engineers from Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pennsylvania, and MIT, in collaboration with SkyWater Technology, have developed an innovative multilayer 3D chip designed to enhance AI hardware performance. Unlike traditional 2D chips, this new architecture features ultra-thin components arranged vertically, enabling rapid data movement akin to high-speed elevators. This revolutionary design effectively circumvents long-standing bottlenecks associated with data transfer on flat chip surfaces, achieving record-setting density of vertical connections and demonstrating performance surpassing 2D chips by approximately fourfold in initial tests. Future iterations are projected to improve performance by up to twelve times for real AI workloads, indicating a significant leap toward meeting the escalating demands of advanced AI systems. The implications of this breakthrough extend beyond mere performance metrics; it marks a significant advancement in domestic semiconductor production. The chip’s successful fabrication in a U.S. commercial foundry demonstrates the potential for scaling up innovative technologies on American soil, fostering a new era of semiconductor development. Researchers highlight the importance of educating a new generation of engineers in these advanced chip designs, emphasizing that the ability to build such sophisticated 3D architectures will shape the future trajectory of AI hardware innovation in the U.S.