Google adds two more TPU systems: 8tx for confidential AI, 8i Max for huge context windows
On November 9, Google added TPU 8tx and TPU 8i Max to its eighth-generation TPU lineup. 8tx builds security into the hardware so data and model weights stay protected even while being processed, aimed at governments and regulated enterprises; 8i Max packs two TPU 8i chips together for double the compute, SRAM and HBM bandwidth. It's Google's fourth TPU system in one year. My take: the AI chip race is shifting from raw speed to fitting specific jobs, and "our data never leaves" will be a big selling point for business adoption. Decide which data must never leave your company before you pick a cloud plan.