22 Jul 2026

Accelerating AI Infrastructure with Intelligent FPGA SmartNICs

Stand: 1041
Silicom Ltd. Connectivity Solutions
Setting the Stage for the AI Era

AI adoption is accelerating at an unprecedented pace, and with it comes one of the greatest challenges for infrastructure: networking at scale. As AI models grow larger and clusters expand, networks must deliver more than raw bandwidth - they must provide predictable, lossless, and efficient performance in next-generation high-speed Ethernet networks, even under the heaviest synchronized workloads.

Silicom, in collaboration with DYNANIC, demonstrates how our joint solution meets this challenge head-on. Selected through a rigorous evaluation process, our FPGA-based SmartNIC innovation transforms raw bandwidth into reliable AI performance.

Predictable AI Networking in Action

Together with DYNANIC, Silicom showcases a joint solution for scalable AI networking built around the ThunderFjord FPGA SmartNIC.

Powered by the Altera® Agilex™ M-Series FPGA and enhanced by the DYNANIC packet-processing pipeline, the platform delivers exceptional adaptability and performance for modern AI clusters.

Key Capabilities

  • Manage synchronized traffic bursts without packet loss
  • Shape and optimize data flows in real time
  • React in microseconds with NIC-level hardware control loops
  • Scale seamlessly from 400G to 800G throughput

 

Why It Matters

The future of AI requires more than speed. It requires networks that adapt in real time to the bursty, synchronization-heavy nature of distributed training. FPGA-based SmartNICs bring this adaptability by combining line-rate throughput with programmable intelligence.

With ThunderFjord and DYNANIC, Silicom is proving how FPGA SmartNICs can:

  • Enable higher GPU utilization by eliminating idle cycles caused by network stalls
  • Reduce CPU overhead, freeing resources for core workloads
  • Future-proof AI data centers, with scalability beyond 400G as demands grow

This is not incremental innovation - it's a fundamental shift in how AI networks are built.

Voices from the Industry

"By bringing together Altera’s Agilex™ M-Series FPGA, Silicom’s ThunderFjord platform, and DYNANIC’s packet-processing pipeline, we see a powerful example of how FPGA acceleration can reshape networking..."

Looking Ahead

As AI workloads scale exponentially, predictable, lossless networking will define the performance boundaries of next-generation clusters. Silicom is committed to leading this transformation with FPGA-powered, intelligent SmartNICs that empower businesses to turn raw bandwidth into tangible AI outcomes.

Read more about the ThunderFjord solution

Interested in learning more about the ThunderFjord solution? Contact our team to discover how FPGA-based SmartNIC acceleration can optimize your AI infrastructure.

 www.silicom-usa.com


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