AMD gains momentum with Microsoft Helios deployment

AMD shares rose more than 5% during Monday’s trading session after Microsoft said it will deploy AMD’s next-generation Helios AI system on Azure. The expanded partnership also includes new Azure virtual machines using AMD’s latest EPYC processors and broader use of AMD networking technology across Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure.

Helios is AMD’s first complete AI system aimed at competing with Nvidia’s rack-scale platforms. The system combines Instinct MI455X GPUs, sixth-generation EPYC “Venice” processors, Pensando networking technology, and ROCm software to support large AI training and inference workloads. Microsoft said AMD technology will also support three new Azure services focused on AI data processing, chip design, and large-scale AI inference.

AMD has also announced partnerships with OpenAI, Meta, Oracle, and other AI companies. AMD said eight of the world’s top 10 AI companies are running workloads on its Instinct GPUs. Meta plans to deploy up to six gigawatts of AMD GPUs over time, Oracle is building a 50,000-GPU Helios supercomputer, and analysts at Jefferies said Anthropic could become another major customer.

Nvidia remains dominant, controlling over 95% of the data center GPU market, while AMD holds about 4.5%. AMD reported first-quarter 2026 revenue of $10.25 billion, up 38% from a year earlier, while its Data Center business grew 57% to $5.78 billion. AMD expects second-quarter revenue to reach about $11.2 billion, representing roughly 46% annual growth.