Apple has joined a consortium behind high-speed technology, “Ultra Accelerator Link” (UALink), which could contribute to future advancements in Apple Intelligence. UALink is a “high-speed, scale-up interconnect” designed to boost next-generation AI cluster performance.
The technology aims to release UALink 1.0 in the first quarter of 2025, offering data speeds of up to 200Gbps per lane. This could enable faster and more efficient Apple Intelligence servers.
Apple’s Director of Platform Architecture, Becky Loop, described UALink as “showing great promise” in addressing connectivity challenges for expanding AI capabilities. However, it is unclear if or when Apple will adopt the technology.
Currently, Apple Intelligence servers are powered by the M2 Ultra chip, and they are expected to use M4 series chips this year. In the future, Apple may develop a new AI server chip that offers even faster performance for AI workloads.
The development of UALink follows recent rumors about Apple’s 2025 products, including an iPhone SE release around mid-2025, new HomePod mini and Apple TV models towards the end of the year, and an updated 25W MagSafe Charger firmware.
Source: https://www.macrumors.com/2025/01/14/apple-ualink