Category: Dell

Dell AI Factory Accelerates AI-Driven Innovation for Dell Technologies

Dell Technologies announces the Dell AI Factory to give customers access to the industry’s broadest AI portfolio, from device to data center to cloud1 and an open ecosystem of technology partners to create AI applications that meet their unique needs, through a traditional purchase or as a Dell APEX subscription. 

“AI is transforming business at an unprecedented pace. Data centers must be designed from the ground up to handle AI’s speed and scale while new AI PCs are transforming productivity and collaboration,” said Jeff Clarke, vice chairman and chief operating officer, Dell Technologies. “What’s needed is new IT infrastructure and devices purpose-built to meet the specific demands of AI. The Dell AI Factory helps customers accelerate AI adoption with the world’s broadest AI portfolio and leading AI ecosystem partners, offering right-sized approaches and greater control over AI deployments on-premises, at the edge and across cloud environments.”

Delivering infrastructure to achieve any AI outcome

Dell’s end-to-end AI portfolio spanning client devices, servers, storage, data protection and networking form the foundation of the Dell AI Factory. Dell Technologies is expanding that portfolio with new offers purpose-built to meet increasing AI demands. 

AI PCs rewrite the rules of creativity and productivity

  • Dell introduces the most Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon® X Elite and Snapdragon® X Plus processors,2 and featuring new Microsoft AI experiences. Targeted at professionals and consumers, these laptops include built-in AI with game-changing performance and exceptional battery life. This transformative AI PC experience will help users easily manage their tasks and workflows through local computing and processing across the GPU, CPU and NPU. 

 

Advancements to manage and protect the data that fuels AI innovation

  • Dell PowerScale F910 all-flash file storage addresses the needs of demanding AI workloads, delivering faster time to AI insights with up to 127% improvement3 in performance and superior density.
  • PowerScale: Project Lightning is a new, highly performant parallel file system software architecture that will be integrated into PowerScale to accelerate training times for large-scale and complex AI workflows.
  • Dell Solution for AI Data Protection helps customers protect critical AI applications and data with Dell data protection software, appliances and a reference design to streamline deployment.

 

Expanded networking portfolio delivers the fabric that accelerates AI performance

  • Dell PowerSwitch Z9864F-ON, powered by the Broadcom Tomahawk® 5 chipset, doubles network performance of AI applications4 through a modern network architecture that delivers high throughput, low latency and easy scalability, catering to the most demanding networking environments. 
  • Dell PowerEdge XE9680 supports Broadcom 400G PCIe Gen 5.0 Ethernet adapters. The combination of PowerEdge hardware, PowerSwitch Z9864F-ON and 400G PCIe Gen 5.0 Ethernet adapters allow organizations to achieve greater performance, scalability and efficiency by building robust ethernet fabrics.
  • Enterprise SONiC Distribution innovations enhance AI performance while SmartFabric Manager for SONiC software simplifies deployment, orchestration and lifecycle management with a single view of SONiC fabrics. 

 

Accelerating AI time to value with leading partner ecosystem 

Deep collaborations between Dell and leading ecosystem partners deliver tightly integrated solutions and make it easier for customers to get started with AI. 

 

    • Dell Technologies is the first infrastructure provider to collaborate with Hugging Face to offer optimized on-premises deployment of generative AI models.5 Dell Enterprise Hub on Hugging Face allows organizations to easily and securely train and deploy open, customized large language models (LLMs) on-premises on Dell infrastructure. This experience accelerates time to value for customers building their own AI applications for use cases like chatbots and customer support and is accessible directly within Hugging Face’s leading open platform for AI builders. 
  • Dell Technologies continues its collaboration with Meta to simplify deployment of Meta Llama 3 models on-premises with Dell infrastructure, providing test results, performance data and deployment recipes.  
  • Dell AI Solution for Microsoft Azure AI Services speeds deployment of AI services, such as speech transcription and translation capabilities, built on Dell APEX Cloud Platform for Microsoft Azure.

 

Simplifying the AI journey with expanded services portfolio

Dell is advancing its extensive portfolio of AI Professional Services to drive improved business outcomes from AI initiatives. 

 

  • Implementation Services for Microsoft Copilot solutions help organizations transform the way they work with expert guidance on embracing Microsoft Copilots experiences across GitHub, Security, Windows and Sales.
  • Accelerator Services for Dell Enterprise Hub on Hugging Face reduce time to value for rapid AI prototyping using the Dell Portal on Hugging Face with strategic counsel on tool and model selection and use case alignment. 

 

Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA expands to turbocharge AI adoption

Dell Technologies today expanded the Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA with new server, edge, workstation, solutions and services advancements. The Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA, announced in March, speeds AI adoption by delivering integrated Dell and NVIDIA capabilities or pre-validated, full stack solutions.


Additional Comments

“AI workloads generate immense traffic and demand exceptional performance capabilities across clouds and data centers,” said Charlie Kawwas Ph. D., president, Broadcom’s Semiconductor Solutions Group. “We are proud to partner with Dell to unveil world leading networking innovations that empower organizations to harness peak performance from Dell’s infrastructure solutions. Broadcom’s commitment to enabling AI infrastructure with open, scalable and energy efficient networking solutions will drive this collaboration forward for our customers.”

“The Dell Enterprise Hub on Hugging Face is the result of a deep collaboration between Hugging Face and Dell Technologies to simplify open source AI for enterprises using on-premises infrastructure,” said Jeff Boudier, head of Product and Growth, Hugging Face. “This new experience will help enterprise organizations build their own AI      combining the best of open source AI with the performance, reliability and security of Dell infrastructure.”

“As organizations explore how to benefit from AI, it’s clear there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach,” said Mike Leone, principal analyst, Enterprise Strategy Group. “The Dell AI Factory brings together Dell’s differentiated infrastructure, services and partner ecosystem to help customers quickly and easily adopt AI on their own terms.” 

Availability

  • XPS 13 and Inspiron 14 Plus are available now for preorder. 
  • Latitude 7455, Inspiron 14 and Latitude 5455 will be available in the coming months.
  • Dell PowerScale F910 will be globally available on May 21, 2024.
  • Dell Solution for AI Data Protection reference design will be available in the first half of 2024.  
  • Dell PowerSwitch Z9864F-ON and Enterprise SONiC Distribution enhancements will be globally available in August 2024.
  • SmartFabric Manager for SONiC will be available in North America, EMEA and APJ in August 2024.
  • Broadcom 400G PCIe Gen 5.0 Ethernet adapters will be available in PowerEdge XE9680 servers starting in July 2024. 
  • Dell Solution for Microsoft Azure AI Services will be globally available in Q2 2024.
  • Dell Enterprise Hub on Hugging Face will be globally available on May 21, 2024. 
  • Implementation Services for Microsoft Copilot solutions are globally available now.
  • Accelerator Services for Dell Enterprise Hub on Hugging Face will be available in NA, EMEA and APJ in late May 2024.

Dell Technologies partner with NVIDIA to expand Dell AI Factory and boost AI Adoption

Dell Technologies expands the Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA to include new server, edge, workstation, solutions and services advancements that speed AI adoption and innovation.

“Organizations are moving quickly to capture the AI opportunity, which is why our collaboration with NVIDIA is so important,” said Michael Dell, founder and CEO, Dell Technologies. “Our expansion of the Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA continues our joint mission – we’re making it easy for organizations to implement AI so they can move boldly into this next technological revolution.”

“Generative AI requires a new type of computing infrastructure – an AI factory that produces intelligence,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO, NVIDIA. “Together,

NVIDIA and Dell are providing the world’s industries with a full-stack offering – including computing, networking and software – that drives the copilots, coding assistants, virtual customer service agents and industrial digital twins of the digital enterprise.”

Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA transforms data into insights and outcomes

The Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA integrates Dell’s leading AI portfolio with NVIDIA AI Enterprise software platform, underpinned by NVIDIA Tensor Core GPUs, NVIDIA Spectrum-X Ethernet networking fabric and NVIDIA Bluefield DPUs. Customers can purchase integrated capabilities tailored to their needs or pre-validated, full stack

solutions to get them started on AI use cases that require accelerated performance like RAG, model training and inferencing. Advancements to the Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA allow organizations to:

Use advanced compute power to handle large scale AI deployments

  • The new Dell PowerEdge XE9680L delivers high performance with support for eight NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs in a smaller 4U form factor. The server provides the highest possible rack-scale density for NVIDIA GPUs in an industry standard x86 rack, offering 33% more GPU density per node.1 The platform offers 20% more PCIe Gen. 5 slots and double the North/South network expansion capacity.2

 

Direct liquid cooling (DLC) improves overall efficiency with greater cooling capacity for CPUs and GPUs. The PowerEdge XE9680L is designed for easy serviceability and will be available fully configured with advanced factory integration for rack-scale deployments and onsite installation.

Dell is also announcing industry leading density and highly energy efficient turnkey rack-scale solutions that speed time to value for large GPU-accelerated deployments. Multiple variants will be available including an air-cooled design supporting 64 GPUs in a single rack, or a liquid cooled format featuring 72 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs in a single rack.

Accelerate edge AI application deployment with Dell NativeEdge and NVIDIA

  • Dell NativeEdge is the first edge orchestration platform that automates the delivery of NVIDIA AI Enterprise software,3 helping developers and IT operators easily deploy AI applications and solutions at the edge. Businesses from manufacturers to retailers can quickly and accurately analyze their edge data with new Dell NativeEdge deployment blueprints which include NVIDIA Metropolis video analytics, NVIDIA Riva speech and translation capabilities and NVIDIA NIM inference microservices.

Simplify AI application development and deployment for faster time to value

  • The new Dell Generative AI Solution for Digital Assistants helps speed deployment of digital assistants that deliver a personalized self-service experience for end users on a full-stack Dell and NVIDIA solution. Implementation Services for Digital Assistants help organizations design, plan, implement, test and scale the solution.

 

  • Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA solutions help organizations quickly stand-up AI environments for a variety of use cases with full stack deployment automation engineered in collaboration with NVIDIA. Full stack automation reduces the time to value by up to 86% compared to doing it yourself.4 When combined with NVIDIA NIM inference microservices, the overall time from delivery to running inferencing jobs is even further reduced. NIM microservices provide enterprise

developers production-ready, optimized inference engines for popular AI models available from NVIDIA and its partner ecosystem.

 

  • New Dell Accelerator Services for RAG on Precision AI Workstations help shorten the AI development cycle and quickly yield better performing AI applications through a tailored large language model using RAG on a Dell Precision workstation with NVIDIA AI Workbench, a development platform to experiment, test, and prototype AI and ML projects in a more secure environment.

“Our research shows that organizations seek IT simplification, but are challenged to achieve it. AI, while promising simplification, brings its own set of complexities including choice, data quality, consistency and security. Having a proven, one-stop shop to help stand up the infrastructure, software and services needed to realize value from AI can reduce risk and lower costs,” said Dave Vellante, chief analyst, theCUBE Research. “Dell’s end-to-end capabilities are a core differentiator that we believe will translate to AI. The Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA is a leading example of an AI solution designed to simplify adoption for emerging AI workloads.”

Availability

  • Dell PowerEdge XE9680L servers will be available in the second half of 2024.
  • Dell NativeEdge deployment blueprints for NVIDIA will be available globally starting in the second half of 2024.
  • Dell Generative AI Solution for Digital Assistants and Implementation Services for Digital Assistants are available now in North America.
  • Dell AI Factory with NVIDIA automated deployment capabilities enabled through Dell professional services will be available in the second half of 2024. NVIDIA NIM microservices are available today.
  • Dell Accelerator Services for RAG on Precision AI Workstations are available in late May in the United States.

Additional Resources

 

 

Dell Unveils New Lineup of Copilot+ AI PCs

Dell Technologies today announced the expansion of its AI PC lineup with the introduction of new Copilot+ PCs, powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon® X Elite and Snapdragon® X Plus. 

This new range includes five laptops: XPS 13, Inspiron 14 Plus, Inspiron 14, Latitude 7455, and Latitude 5455. These devices are designed to enhance productivity, efficiency, and security for consumers and professionals.

The new AI PCs are equipped with Qualcomm Oryon™ CPU, GPU, and NPU, offering 45 trillion operations per second (TOPS) of AI performance and extended battery life. On-device Copilot enables instantaneous results without requiring an internet connection, ensuring seamless and secure operation. Key features include Recall, Cocreator, Live Captions, Windows Studio effects, and Auto Super Resolution, which collectively enhance productivity and creativity.

“ There’s no doubt the AI PC revolution is here. New transformative AI experiences will bring enhanced productivity and efficiency to the hands of consumers and professionals alike. Those with an AI PC will never look back, and everyone will want to be part of the action. We’re here to lead the way. Our five new laptops, XPS 13, Inspiron 14 Plus, Inspiron 14, Latitude 7455, and Latitude 5455, offer a range of consumer and commercial options that deliver exceptional speed and AI performance to elevate computing and simplify tasks.” said Sam Burd, President, Client Solutions Group, Dell Technologies.

Amplified creativity

Build for AI, the XPS 13 is Dell’s first XPS to feature Copilot+ powered by Snapdragon X Elite. It is the thinnest and lightest XPS model, offering up to 27 hours of battery life, making it suitable for everyday productivity and content creation. 

The Inspiron 14 Plus features the Snapdragon X Plus platform with up to 15 hours of battery life, enabling a faster and more efficient experience. The device offers an upleveled video and audio experience with quad speakers and a QHD+ display with 400nit brightness. Inspiron 14 is powered by Snapdragon X Plus and provides an easy-to-use platform with features like voice commands and a mechanical privacy shutter for extra security.

Unmatched productivity for the business professional

New Latitude AI laptops with Copilot+ pack game-changing performance and exceptional battery life. The Latitude 7455 is a premium AI laptop up to 21 hours of battery life stacked with a stunning 14-inch QHD+ touch display and quad speakers with AI noise reduction. The Latitude 5455 packs performance in a mainstream AI business laptop option with a 16:10 FHD+ display.

New AI experiences

The Dell Copilot+ PCs take productivity, creativity and communication a step further. Using Cocreator, users can create AI generated images using a combination of descriptive words and brushstrokes. New Windows Studio effects adjust lighting and offer new creative filters to enhance call collaboration. Auto Super Resolution uses AI to upscale videos and games in real-time for smooth streaming and gameplay.

Kedar Kondap, SVP & GM, Compute and Gaming Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., stated: “Leveraging Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus, Dell has created best-in-class products that can keep up with the AI use cases that will simplify consumer workflows. Together, we are delivering powerful and intelligent Copilot+ capabilities, and empowering customers, compute and gaming, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Together, it adds up to powerful performance, long battery life, and on-device generative AI. We are proud to power these products and enable Copilot+ for Dell users.”

 

Speaking on the unveiling of new lineup of Dell PCs Mark Linton, VP device partner sales, Microsoft Corp said: “It’s a thrilling new era of AI PCs, and our collaboration with industry leaders like Dell enables us to develop innovative devices that seamlessly integrate new AI experiences, enhancing our customer’s productivity and creativity like never before. Our deep engineering collaboration has been crucial in delivering productive and secure PCs for commercial, consumer and gaming customers for decades. With Dell’s launch of their Copilot+ PCs spanning Inspiron, XPS, and Latitude series, we will bring new AI experiences to life for consumers and businesses alike, taking advantage of on-device and cloud AI to empower individuals and organisations to achieve more”. 

 

Availability and Pricing

  • XPS 13 and Inspiron 14 Plus are now available for pre-order, starting at $1299 and $1,099, respectively.
  • Latitude 7455, Inspiron 14 and Latitude 5455 will be available in the coming months.
  • Dell Silent Mouse (MS355) will be available worldwide in Q3 for $37.49.
  • Dell Silent Keyboard and Mouse Combo (KM555) will be available worldwide in Q3 for $62.49.
  • Dell Wired Collaboration Keyboard (KB525C) will be available worldwide in Q3 for $39.99.

 

Snapdragon and Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.

Qualcomm patented technologies are licensed by Qualcomm Incorporated.

Qualcomm, Snapdragon, Qualcomm Oryon, FastConnect and Hexagon are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated.

New Dell PowerEdge Servers Support Workloads from the Data Center to the Edge

Dell Technologies expands the industry’s top-selling server portfolio with performance and efficiency upgrades for wherever Dell PowerEdge is deployed. These servers represent the latest generation of server innovation for Dell’s largest and smallest customers.

Built with versatility in mind, these new Dell PowerEdge servers offer efficient configurations that will simplify operations for organizations including CSPs of all sizes, small business owners and those operating at the edge. With performance improvements across the new servers, customers have the compute power to handle a range of workloads.

“Our customers are turning to our newest servers to run more compute-intensive workloads while trying to manage power and emissions,” said Travis Vigil, senior vice president, Infrastructure Solutions Group Product Management, Dell Technologies. “This builds on our 30 years of experience where Dell PowerEdge has been the backbone of IT infrastructure, helping customers adapt to evolving business needs and supporting workloads across edge, core data centres and the cloud.”

Enhanced performance and efficiency for cloud service providers

New Dell PowerEdge R670 CSP Edition and R770 CSP Edition servers offer cloud service providers optimal performance for high performance computing, including high-density and scale-out cloud workloads like virtualization and data analytics. Additionally, through the Dell Early Access Program, customers can evaluate these new server designs so CSPs can scale production from day one of availability.

Designed with Smart Cooling technology, these servers are energy efficient and intelligently adapt to changing environments. The compact form factor with front I/O for cold aisle serviceability and versatile configurations makes these servers simpler to deploy and service, making them ideal for specialized data centres.

Bringing the Intel® Xeon® 6 Efficient core processor to market first, customers will see up to 2.3x more performance per rack compared to the previous generation.1 These servers are equipped with Dell Open Server Manager built on OpenBMCTM to simplify management in an open ecosystem for large, heterogeneous environments.

These new CSP Edition servers mark the debut of the Data Centre – Modular Hardware System (DC-MHS) architecture in the Dell PowerEdge portfolio. This DC-MHS specification supports easier server integration into existing infrastructure by standardizing servers, improving design and customer choice. Part of the Open Compute Project, DC-MHS is a collaboration between six companies, including Dell Technologies and Intel, focused on redesigning hardware technology to make data centre, edge and enterprise infrastructure more interoperable.

“Intel is excited to have Dell Technologies at the forefront of our development on the latest generation of Intel® Xeon® 6 processor, enabling customers across industries to quickly and seamlessly deliver on the promise of high density, efficient compute for AI data centres of the future,” said Ryan Tabrah, Vice President & General Manager of Intel® Xeon® Efficient-core Products, Intel Corporation.

Smaller footprint, double the performance

The Dell PowerEdge T160 and R260 servers bring compact computing to small businesses and remote offices looking for powerful, dense configurations. At almost half the physical footprint (42%), the stackable T160 offers a lower carbon footprint via the increased use of sustainable materials including an unpainted metal chassis. The server is up to 23% more power efficient compared to the previous generation.2 The R260 also has a reduced physical footprint (24%), increasing its versatility.

Both servers feature the Intel® Xeon® E-2400 Processors, offering double the performance compared to the previous generation.3 The T160 is ideal for organizations looking to do real-time data processing at near-edge installations. The R260 works well for deploying near-edge virtualisation, minimizing latency up to 50%.4 For those working in harsh environments, the T160 and R260 are equipped with filter bezels, shielding the inner hardware from dust and grease particles, helping ensure unobstructed airflow for better performance and acoustics.

“Technology that maximizes energy efficiency and infrastructure density without compromising performance is critical for modern sustainable data centre operations,” said Kuba Stolarski, research vice president, IDC Enterprise Infrastructure Practice. “Dell’s portfolio offers organisations of all sizes innovative server solutions to meet their sustainability goals while simplifying management and upleveling performance with the current generation of technology.”

Availability

  • The Dell PowerEdge R670 CSP Edition and R770 CSP Edition will be globally available to qualified Cloud Service Providers in July with general availability soon to follow.
  • The Dell PowerEdge T160 will be globally available in May.
  • The Dell PowerEdge R260 will be globally available in May.

How AI is Shaping the Modern Workplace

The world of work has evolved significantly in our digital age. New technologies have enabled greater connectivity and collaboration between employees whether coming together in-person or working remotely.

The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) may have the most profound impact yet on the workplace as we know it. AI is a once-in-a-generation technology that provides significant potential to create more agile, flexible, and efficient workplaces in the future.

From enhancing productivity to fostering collaboration and enhancing the security of digital infrastructure, developing a modern workplace with new AI experiences will enhance the user experience today and set organisations up for success in the future.

An AI-enabled workforce

Most businesses in Ireland already recognise the importance of embracing AI in preparing their organisation for the future. Research by IBEC reveals that nearly two in three Irish businesses believe that AI has the potential to enhance productivity and work conditions.

The race to prepare for an AI-enabled future is already well underway across many industries, with substantial investment in AI-related infrastructure. According to the IDC, total global investment in AI is expected to increase to $301.43 billion by 2026.

The potential impact of the technology is significant and wide-ranging across many industries and applications. AI is key to unlocking value within data and thus is becoming one of the most important tools for businesses of all sizes.

Among the workforce, AI has the capacity to automate many routine tasks, freeing up employees to focus on more strategic and value-added productivity. When you automate intelligently, team members can spend less time on repetitive, routine tasks and more on innovation, creative thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration. For example, the use of generative AI (GenAI) tools to create written content or images from prompts can speed up the completion of time-intensive tasks like writing reports creating presentations and proposals, or emails. In the advertising industry, these tools are already being used to quickly develop high-quality assets that may only need minor editing from human designers before being rolled out in campaigns.

AI tools can also be used to enhance collaboration and communication across the workforce. For instance, AI-powered notetaking tools that transcribe and analyse meeting content can be used to ensure better understanding and information sharing across teams saving time on mundane tasks.

The Role of AI powered workstations

As organisations look to advance their AI capabilities, AI-powered workstations are set to be a crucial pillar in ensuring their workforce can harness the power of the technology at scale. The development and deployment of AI technologies on workstations offers significant strategic and operational benefits for businesses from greater flexibility to scaling and simplified implementation.

As the use of AI tools in the workplace rapidly grows and AI models increase in size and complexity, AI workstations can provide a highly scalable infrastructure solution that meets the evolving needs of organisations. Recently launched, Dell’s new range of AI-powered Precision desktop and laptop workstations provide enhanced support for the high level of data processing required to manage AI workloads in the modern workplace.

Each workstation is equipped with a neural processing unit, a specialised processor optimised for handling complex mathematical computations integral to artificial neural networks. This high performance is complemented by large storage and memory to enable the efficient handling of vast amounts of data and speed up the development cycle of AI models.

AI-powered workstations also provide increased flexibility for organisations in the development of AI models. High-end processors and powerful GPUs built into the workstations enable developers to rapidly prototype and fine-tune generative AI models locally in a cost-effective way.

By providing a fully integrated solution for the entire development process of AI models, from data preparation to model training and deployment, these workstations can ensure that your organisation is fully prepared for the future, whatever your use case.

Building a more secure work environment

As organisations face increasing levels of cyber threats, GenAI can be a powerful tool to strengthen cyber resilience in the workplace. GenAI can enhance detection and respond to anomalies and potential threats in real time. If malicious actors do gain access, it can isolate attackers and stop them from spreading further.

With flexible and remote working models becoming standard in many organisations and establishing themselves as a long-term working practice, GenAI can also help to address the endpoint security challenges associated with employees accessing company resources from different locations and devices. By continuously monitoring user behaviour and network activity, GenAI can strengthen the cybersecurity position of the organisation and adjust permissions based on risk assessments.

Preparing for change

AI is set to change the way we work, enhancing productivity and unlocking new opportunities for businesses. As organisations advance on their AI journey, it is important that they take a joined-up approach to the technology.

At Dell Technologies, we’re committed to helping organisations create AI-powered experiences in workplaces across Ireland. From running complex AI workloads on workstations to using day-to-day AI-powered applications on laptops, our extensive range of commercial AI workstations and laptops are tailor-designed to bring organisations and employee productivity into the AI era and unlock the full potential of the technology.

By taking action now, businesses and organisations can create a modern workplace shaped by new AI experiences.

Dell Technologies helps ignite Irish start-up growth with inaugural Powering AI event

Dell Technologies hosted the inaugural Powering AI event in Dublin this week bringing together leaders from across Ireland’s start-up and scale-up community to explore the key ingredients needed to power their AI journey and unlock new growth opportunities.

Held in partnership with Scale Ireland over 50 founders, industry leaders and AI experts came together at the Digital Hub in Dublin to discuss the opportunities presented by Generative AI (GenAI) and the obstacles they need to overcome to embrace this technology in their organisation.

The first Powering AI event featured a number of speakers including Catherine Doyle, Managing Director, Dell Technologies in Ireland; Brian Caufield, Chair, Scale Ireland, Dr. Patricia Scanlon, Ireland’s AI Ambassador & Chair of AI Advisory Council; Dr. Paul Byrnes, CEO, Mavarick; Andreea Wade, VP & Product Strategy at iCIMS, and Ivor Buckley, Field CTO at Dell Technologies Ireland.

This comes as Dell Technologies unveiled its Innovation Catalysts Study which revealed that 75% of organisations in Ireland have begun implementing Generative AI. 47% cite GenAI’s transformative potential to enhance the customer experience while 42% believe it has significant potential to unlock productivity. However, 95% are experiencing data management challenges as they look to adopt GenAI.

Highlighting the significance of the inaugural gathering Catherine Doyle, Managing Director at Dell Technologies in Ireland said: “As the clear leader in computing and storage, Dell is helping to power AI for businesses and organisations across Ireland. That’s why we’re delighted to host the inaugural Powering AI event which is focused on how GenAI can enable Ireland’s vibrant start-up community to grow and scale-up their success.

 “Due to their agility and the fact many were born in the Cloud, start-ups and scale-ups are uniquely positioned to adopt GenAI at speed. By bringing together industry leaders, AI experts and founders, we can highlight the ingredients that will power the AI journey of our thriving start-up community and ensure in time that they can compete internationally.”

Dell Technologies Research: GenAI a catalyst for innovation yet Irish firms struggle to keep pace with change

Generative AI (GenAI) and AI will significantly transform industries in Ireland, according to 70% of respondents to the Dell Technologies Innovation Catalyst Research.

Based on responses from 6,600 IT and business decision makers across 40 countries including 100 in Ireland, the research suggests that while there is broad optimism for AI and GenAI, the extent to which organisations are prepared for the rapid pace of change varies greatly.

71% say they are well positioned competitively and have a solid strategy in place to harness the power of AI. Moreover, nine in 10 (92%) think organisations can use GenAI responsibly.

At the same time, over half (56%) of the respondents are uncertain what their industry will look like in the next three to five years and forty-nine percent report struggling to keep pace with advancements in GenAI and other technologies. They cite the lack of the right talent (43%), lack of budget (33%) and an outdated technology environment (32%) as challenges they face in driving innovation.

To help overcome some of the challenges, fifty-nine percent of organisations are training or upskilling employees to use GenAI while six in 10 (62%) are providing AI-optimised technology to improve the work experience.

GenAI Moving from Ideation to Implementation

Respondents cite GenAI’s transformative or significant potential to deliver value in improving IT security posture (48%), enhancing the customer experience (47%) and unlocking productivity gains (42%).

More broadly, responses suggest that organisations are working through GenAI practicalities as they transition from ideation to implementation, with 75% saying they have begun implementing GenAI. As organisations increase adoption, concern centres around understanding where risks reside and who is responsible for them. Sixty-six percent agree that the organisation, rather than the machine, the user or the public, is responsible for any AI malfunction or undesired behaviour. 

Catherine Doyle, Managing Director at Dell Technologies Ireland, said: “In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, the power of Generative AI and other emerging technologies cannot be understated. Our research underscores the transformative potential of GenAI to drive innovation in every industry across Ireland. Businesses are now harnessing the power of AI to unlock the value hidden within their data, propelling growth and driving innovation forward.

“However, it’s clear that while optimism abounds, many organisations are struggling to keep pace with rapid advancements in technology. It’s vital for leaders to not only recognise the potential of GenAI but also to act swiftly in using its potential to turn ideas into tangible innovation. By leveraging the capabilities of Generative AI and investing in the right technology infrastructure, businesses can position themselves for success in this era of unprecedented change.”

The Right Technology Infrastructure will help Organisations to Succeed

The research also reveals modern data infrastructure’s critical role as technologies like GenAI gather pace and data volumes increase. Investing in a modern, scalable infrastructure was cited as the number one area of improvement for businesses to accelerate innovation. Most IT decision makers (66%) say they prefer an on-prem or hybrid model, to address the challenges they foresee with implementing GenAI.

The ability to share data across the business is also a key part of the innovation puzzle, with only 1 in 3 (33%) saying they can turn data into real-time insights today to support innovation efforts. Moreover, 95% face data management challenges. However, responses suggest organisations are acting on this challenge, with 64% saying that data is the differentiator and their GenAI strategy must involve using and protecting that data.

Dell Introduces APEX File Storage for Microsoft Azure

Dell Technologies has announced the launch and general availability of Dell APEX File Storage for Microsoft Azure, a new high-performance multicloud file storage solution designed to bridge the gap between cloud storage and AI-driven insights to accelerate AI innovation for businesses of all sizes.

Dell APEX File Storage for Microsoft Azure represents a significant milestone in Dell’s ongoing collaboration with Microsoft. This powerful solution empowers businesses to unlock the full potential of AI by providing a robust, scalable, and secure foundation for their most demanding workloads.

Dell APEX File Storage for Microsoft Azure leverages PowerScale OneFS, a high-performance scale-out file storage solution, to provide customers with effective data consolidation and management, reduced storage costs, and enhanced data protection and security, all while integrating seamlessly with native cloud AI tools to accelerate insights.

This solution is specifically engineered to support the flexibility required in today’s diverse cloud ecosystems and is ideal for AI workflows, offering capabilities like advanced native replication and enterprise-grade features of PowerScale One FS even in the cloud.

“With Apex File Storage for Microsoft Azure, we’ve brought the familiar capabilities and performance of PowerScale OneFS into the Azure cloud environment, ensuring a seamless and efficient storage experience that meets the demands of modern multicloud strategies,” said Kshitij Tambe, Principal Product Manager at Dell Technologies. “Our goal is to empower businesses to not only manage their data more effectively but to also harness the full potential of AI with the best performance at scale.”

The storage solution is built for scalability, supporting up to 18 nodes and 5.6PiB in a single namespace, significantly enhancing cluster performance and resilience compared to other cloud file storage solutions.

Dell announces NativeEdge 2.0 for enhanced Edge operations

Dell has announced the launch of Dell NativeEdge 2.0, a significant update to its industry-leading edge operations software platform.

Dell NativeEdge is an innovative edge operations software platform bringing computation and data processing closer to the source, helping businesses optimise the full potential of data securely so they can make faster decisions and leverage AI applications at the edge for real-time insights, actions, and automation.

Native Edge 2.0 will empower organisations to simplify, secure and scale their edge deployments, and help unlock the full potential of edge computing.

NativeEdge 2.0 introduces Blueprints, which are like easy-to-follow plans for setting up applications. With Blueprints deploying industry applications across different places and devices is as simple as clicking a button. Blueprints automate the entire process, saving time, effort, and resources.

IT professionals can easily define application settings, infrastructure requirements, network configurations, and customer workflows – all within a single file. This single Blueprint can then be deployed across various Edge devices or throughout various development stages, ensuring consistency and compliance.

Dell NativeEdge 2.0 is more secure with features like a virtual Trusted Platform Module (vTPM) and UEFI secure boot capabilities, aligning with Zero Trust principles to enhance edge security and compliance. These features safeguard edge deployments by validating platform integrity and preventing unauthorised software execution.

“Edge computing is transforming the way businesses operate, innovate, and compete in today’s digital world,” said. Gil Shneorson, Senior Vice President for Solutions Platforms, Dell Technologies. “By locating computation and data processing closer to where data is generated, it is possible to make decisions faster and leverage AI applications at the edge. However, the task of managing edge operations across diverse locations, devices, and applications can be daunting and expensive. Now, there’s a solution to these complexities: Dell NativeEdge, an innovative edge operations software platform designed to simplify, optimise, and secure your entire edge estate.”

Dell is introducing three-year subscription plans for NativeEdge, offering more choices to meet your needs depending on your edge requirements and preferences. With the three-year subscription plans, you can enjoy longer-term savings and benefits, such as lower costs and predictable budgeting.