NVIDIA and AMD Launch CPU-Only Racks for AI Agents at Open Compute Project Summit

NVIDIA and AMD unveiled CPU-only server racks optimized for AI agent workloads at the Open Compute Project Summit this week, signaling intensifying competition in infrastructure designed specifically for agentic AI systems. NVIDIA introduced the Vera CPU rack, designed with capabilities for tool calling, orchestration, and sandboxed execution—key requirements for AI agents that need to execute multiple steps, make decisions, and interact with external systems safely. AMD countered with Helion, a CPU-only offering featuring up to 32,768 EPYC processor cores per deployment unit, targeting hyperscale operators building agent infrastructure at massive scale.