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Microsoft has unveiled a major cooling innovation that could radically reshape how AI hardware is built and managed. In recent tests, the company’s in-chip microfluidic cooling system has been shown to reduce maximum GPU temperature rise by around 65% compared to conventional cooling methods. More impressively, it outperforms “cold plate” solutions by up to three times greater heat removal efficiency.
Rather than resting a heat sink or cold plate on top of the chip, Microsoft’s technology etches ultra-thin channels directly into the back of the silicon. Liquid coolant flows through these channels, bringing cooling right to the source of heat. To further boost effectiveness, Microsoft used AI to map “hotspots” on the chip and guide the coolant more precisely. The design, inspired by biology, mimics veins in leaves to distribute coolant more efficiently.
Microsoft demonstrated the system in a server handling simulated usage (like Teams meetings), proving that it works under real-world loads.
According to Judy Priest, Microsoft’s Corporate VP & CTO of Cloud Operations & Innovation, the next big priority is testing reliability and durability.
As AI models grow more powerful, chips generate more heat. Traditional cooling (air cooling or cold plates) often falls short because layers between the heat source and the cooling medium limit how much heat can be removed. Microsoft says that sticking with older methods could become a bottleneck for the next generation of AI infrastructure.
