‘AI development relies on data management’

Experts said Artificial Intelligence development relies crucially on data management, highlighting the need for efficient storage solutions.

A release noted that the Western Digital Sales Director, Ghassan Azzi, stated in a presentation titled “The AI Data Cycle: Understanding the Optimal Storage Mix for AI Workloads at Scale”.

According to Azzi, the AI industry is building a massive infrastructure to train AI models and offer AI services, which has significant implications for data storage.

“This infrastructure has significant implications for data storage, emphasizing that storage technology plays a crucial role in the cost and power efficiency of various stages,” he stated.

He coined the term “AI data cycle” to describe the continuous loop of data generation and storage, driving demand for advanced, cost-effective, and power-efficient storage solutions.

“As AI systems process and analyze data, they create new data, which is often stored due to its usefulness or entertainment value. This leads to a virtuous cycle where increased data generation fuels expanded data storage, further fueling data generation,” he added.

Azzi emphasised that the continuous loop of data generation and consumption was accelerating the demand for performance-driven and scalable storage technologies.

The Research Director at IDC, Ed Burns, noted that the implications for storage were significant as access to data influences the speed, efficiency, and accuracy of AI models, particularly as larger and higher-quality data sets become more prevalent.

“As AI technologies become embedded across various industries, storage component providers are increasingly tailoring their products to meet the needs of each stage in the AI data cycle.

“The ongoing innovation in storage technology is crucial for managing large AI data sets and ensuring the efficient re-factoring of complex data, driving further advancements in AI,” he said.