# Google Unveils Two New Specialized AI Chips, the TPU 8tx and TPU 8i Max

> Google introduced two new tensor processing units, the TPU 8tx and TPU 8i Max, expanding its in-house AI hardware portfolio for confidential inference and larger workloads.

- Published: 2026-11-10T15:54:08.000Z
- Category: ai
- Source: [TechCrunch AI](https://techcrunch.com/2026/11/10/google-broadens-its-ai-hardware-portfolio-with-two-new-specialized-chips/)
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Google unveiled two new variants of its tensor processing units on Monday to expand its in-house AI hardware portfolio and reduce dependence on outside chipmakers for its cloud computing business. The new units, named TPU 8tx and TPU 8i Max, build upon the company's eighth-generation chips introduced in April.

**Why it matters:** Google's introduction of the TPU 8tx and TPU 8i Max expands its in-house semiconductor lineup as hyperscalers and AI labs work on their own custom chips to reduce reliance on Nvidia. The new hardware specifically targets confidential inference and larger memory capacities for enterprise workloads.

## TPU 8tx Designed for Confidential Computing

The TPU 8tx was designed in partnership with AMD and is based on the TPU 8t chip. According to Google, it is geared specifically for confidentially training and running AI models by building security directly into the hardware layer to keep sensitive data and model weights protected and isolated during active use. The chip features a custom inferencing network that enables it to run reasoning alongside training, allowing companies to distill and train smaller models on the fly using proprietary data without transferring it between devices.

## TPU 8i Max Doubles Memory and Processing Power

The TPU 8i Max combines two inference-focused TPU 8i chips launched in April into a single package. This configuration doubles the memory capacity, processing power, and bandwidth, enabling AI models to handle a larger range of information during queries.

**Key points**

- Google introduced the TPU 8tx and TPU 8i Max as part of its eighth-generation chip portfolio.
- The TPU 8tx was designed with AMD and builds security directly into the hardware layer.
- The TPU 8tx includes a custom inferencing network to run reasoning alongside training.
- The TPU 8i Max combines two TPU 8i chips into a single package to double memory capacity, processing power, and bandwidth.
- The chip launch coincides with efforts by other tech companies to reduce their reliance on Nvidia.