Iris Energy to supply GPU cloud service to AI firm Poolside

Iris Energy, a provider of next-generation renewable energy data centres, has announced that it will begin providing its GPU cloud service to prominent AI company Poolside. The agreement follows rigorous testing requirements and will feature the incorporation of 248 NVIDIA H100 GPUs.

Poolside, a company that aims to develop the world's most capable AI for software development, secured a major AUD $126 million seed funding round in the middle of last year. Their unique approach, known as Reinforcement Learning from Code Execution Feedback (RLCEF), distinguishes them from other AI companies that focus on general-purpose models.

Using its next-generation data centre architecture, Iris Energy has observed and met all of Poolside's rigorous testing requirements. The GPU cloud service was launched on February 5, 2024.

Jason Warner, CEO and Co-Founder of Poolside, stated: "We are excited to select Iris Energy as a cloud services partner. Our business, like many others, has a substantial growing demand for GPU computing, and we have been impressed with the professionalism and quality shown by Iris Energy during our testing and selection process."

Daniel Roberts, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Iris Energy, expressed his contentment with the recently formed partnership, highlighting the calibre of Poolside as a partner. He emphasised their anticipation of expanding their GPU cloud services business and meeting the increasing market demand for such services.

Roberts said, "We are pleased to partner with a company of the calibre of Poolside. We look forward to further growing our GPU cloud services business and servicing the growing market demand we are seeing for these services."

According to the agreement terms, the contract will last for an initial three-month term, with Poolside having the option to extend it for an additional three months. Iris Energy expects this tie-up to play a significant role in boosting its GPU cloud services business and tap into the burgeoning market needs for these services.

This recent development is seen as just the 'tip of the iceberg' for Iris Energy's increasing involvement in the data centre industry. The renewable-energy-powered data centre operator is projected to have much more to offer in the weeks following this announcement, setting high expectations for its future contributions to the tech industry.

More on the company, Iris Energy specialises in cryptocurrency mining operations, mainly focused on Bitcoin. Based in Australia, Iris Energy operates data centres powered by renewable energy sources, such as hydroelectricity, to mine Bitcoin in an environmentally sustainable manner. The company aims to leverage renewable energy to reduce the carbon footprint associated with cryptocurrency mining, addressing concerns about the environmental impact of such operations.

Iris Energy's commitment to sustainable practices in the cryptocurrency industry has garnered attention, particularly as environmental concerns surrounding Bitcoin mining have become more prominent. Iris Energy seeks to contribute to the transition towards a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach to cryptocurrency mining by utilising renewable energy sources.