When GPUs become scarce, innovation shifts to silicon. That’s the backdrop as Val Cook, Co-founder and Chief Software Architect of Blaize Holdings (NASDAQ: BZAI), takes the stage at the AI Summit at Web Summit 2025, held November 10–13 in Lisbon, Portugal.
Cook will appear on the panel “From Moore’s Law to More AI: The Next Era of Silicon” on Tuesday, November 11 (2:15–2:35 p.m. WET)—moderated by Charlie Perreau, Technology Editor at Les Échos. Joining him will be Walter Goodwin, CEO of Fractile, in a discussion set to unpack how new chip architectures are redefining AI’s next frontier.
The Post-GPU Era Is Here
As demand for GPUs continues to outpace supply, the AI industry is looking beyond traditional architectures. Blaize—known for its energy-efficient, programmable edge AI processors—has positioned itself at the center of this transition. Its chips are designed to bring cloud-class intelligence to the edge, targeting markets like smart infrastructure, industrial automation, and defense.
Cook’s talk comes at a pivotal moment. With Moore’s Law fading and compute needs skyrocketing, hardware innovation has become the new AI arms race. The panel promises to tackle how custom silicon, neuromorphic architectures, and hybrid AI systems could rewrite the economics and scalability of AI deployment.
From Lab to Real-World AI
Blaize’s rise this year has been rapid—and intentional. Since going public in early 2025, the company has expanded aggressively across Asia and the Middle East. Recent milestones include:
- $56 million smart city deployment in South Asia with Yotta Data Services
- $120 million hybrid AI infrastructure deal with Starshine Computing Power Technology Limited
- A strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Technology Control Company (TCC) to build sovereign AI infrastructure
The message: Blaize isn’t just designing chips—it’s powering the infrastructure behind real-world AI ecosystems.
The Bigger Picture: Silicon as Strategy
Blaize’s Lisbon appearance follows key stops at the Milken Institute Asia Summit and GITEX GLOBAL 2025, reinforcing its growing reputation as a serious player in edge AI compute.
At a time when tech giants are locked in GPU bidding wars, Blaize’s differentiated model—programmable, power-efficient processors built for hybrid AI—offers a pragmatic alternative. The company’s approach aligns with a growing industry shift toward specialized silicon that can run large-scale models more sustainably and securely across distributed environments.
Cook’s session is expected to go beyond chip specs, exploring how architecture choices shape AI accessibility, efficiency, and sovereignty. In a world where compute is the new oil, it’s a timely conversation.
Why It Matters
AI’s future won’t be written solely in software—it’ll be etched in silicon. From data centers to the edge, companies like Blaize are proving that hardware innovation is once again central to technological leadership.
As Blaize’s presence at Web Summit 2025 underscores, the next big leap in AI won’t just be about smarter algorithms—it’ll be about smarter infrastructure to run them.
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