NVIDIA Launches the New Vera CPU for Heavy AI Workloads

NVIDIA just revealed the details of its new Vera CPU at the GTC 2026 event in San Jose, California. Built specifically to handle heavy artificial intelligence tasks, this processor marks a major push by NVIDIA into the traditional computing market. By selling these chips directly to server builders and cloud providers, the company is stepping right into the market usually controlled by Intel and AMD.

New Vera CPU delivers a massive jump in speed and everyday efficiency

The Vera CPU features 88 custom cores and is designed to tackle complex AI workloads that require quick decision-making. These chips are built for agentic AI, which means the software can reason, plan tasks, run code, and use tools on its own without needing constant human input.

NVIDIA states that this new chip operates 50 percent faster than standard processors while using only half the energy. It replaces the older Grace CPU and brings significant hardware upgrades to the table.

It achieves this bump in speed by using a new design that allows each core to handle two tasks at the exact same time without slowing down or taking turns. This approach keeps the processor running at full speed without wasting any idle time. The chip also features a massive memory setup that more than doubles the bandwidth of previous models.

Notably, it moves data around at massive speeds, which is essential when running large AI models that need to process huge amounts of information constantly.

It packs massive computer power into a single server rack

Along with the standalone chip, NVIDIA introduced a new rack setup designed for large data centers across the USA and beyond. This new Vera CPU rack packs 256 liquid-cooled processors into a single tall unit. According to the company, this dense layout delivers six times the processing throughput of older systems. To put that in perspective, a single rack can support over 22,000 separate computing environments running independently at the exact same time.

Major tech companies are already lining up to use the new hardware. Meta recently announced plans to use these CPU systems in its own data centers to power its AI tools. Other massive cloud providers like Oracle, CoreWeave, and Alibaba are also on board. Computer makers like Dell, HPE, and Lenovo will build servers using these chips for everyday businesses.

NVIDIA says the Vera processors are currently in full production and will start shipping to partners by the second half of this year.