This article was originally published on New Electronics by Alex Chou, Senior VP of Enterprise Storage & Display Interface Solutions Business at Silicon Motion.

As we look toward 2025 and beyond, we foresee transformative shifts in big data and AI technologies that will redefine industries.

After years of continuous advancements from early semiconductor diodes to today's highly sophisticated systems, the explosion of AI has catalysed rapid growth. A prime example of this trend is the remarkable rise in NVIDIA's stock, reflecting AI's expanding influence across global markets.

A modern Coliseum

In 2025, AI will resemble the ancient Roman Coliseum, where innovation has no limits. However, unlike the Coliseum, which was built without concerns for power consumption or capacity, AI development must carefully address these challenges. This highlights the increasing demand for efficient data processing and storage within AI systems.

In the new world of AI, data is the lifeblood of progress. The demand for storage solutions capable of managing vast amounts of information continues to rise. As the AI ecosystem expands, the need for advanced data storage technologies to handle this massive influx of data becomes increasingly critical.

The Shift from Cloud to Edge

One of the trends Silicon Motion anticipates will increase is the shift from cloud-based AI to edge AI servers. This shift is driven by a growing need for localised data processing, especially in finance, telecommunications, and security sectors, where data privacy and security are paramount. Hyperscale data centres, which currently dominate the AI storage landscape, will continue to be crucial, but edge servers will play a pivotal role in the future of AI.

According to projections, the percentage of AI data handled by edge servers will increase significantly by 2029, growing from just 5% in 2019 to over 33%. This shift will increase the demand for storage capacity and require innovative solutions to handle the unique challenges of AI data processing.

The growing role of SSD in AI

The demand for storage in AI applications is expected to grow two to four times in the coming years, with solid-state drives (SSDs) playing a critical role in meeting this demand. Silicon Motion has identified several key factors that will drive innovation in SSD technology for AI applications:

Sequential and Random Data Processing: AI applications must handle sequential and random data processing efficiently. Training AI models, for example, demands high-speed sequential data writes, while inference tasks often require random read and write operations. SSDs must be optimised to manage these diverse workloads effectively.

Performance Optimisation through AI: Silicon Motion is pioneering advanced performance-enhancing solutions with its patented PerformaShape technology, allowing user-defined QoS settings. This technology improves critical factors such as performance, power efficiency, latency, and quality of service (QoS), enabling SSDs to excel in demanding environments.

By incorporating advanced algorithms and hardware accelerations, Silicon Motion ensures SSDs can handle the growing workloads of AI applications while maintaining high performance.

Capacity and Efficiency: We are dedicated to enhancing the capacity and efficiency of our SSD controllers, enabling storage solutions to meet the demands of today's applications. A key part of our strategy is the introduction of Quad-Level Cell (QLC) NAND technology, which provides larger storage capacities at a lower cost. To complement this, we are developing advanced error correction and performance optimisation techniques, ensuring that QLC-based SSDs deliver both high capacity and efficiency, meeting the rigorous requirements of AI applications.

Enhancing AI data flows

Silicon Motion's MonTitan platform introduces NVMe FDP (Flexible Data Placement) technology to improve AI storage pipelines. This advanced solution manages mixed random and sequential data access, significantly reducing write amplification to near-zero levels. By refining data placement, MonTitan supports high performance and extends the lifespan of storage systems, making it well-suited for the complex demands of AI-driven workloads.

The technology is built to handle challenging data flows while maintaining both efficiency and durability in AI applications.

As AI continues to evolve, data flow within AI systems will become more complex, necessitating the development of diversified storage solutions. Silicon Motion envisions a future where AI applications require highly customised storage solutions that accommodate a wide range of data types and workloads.

The company has created a range of solutions to tackle these challenges, including advanced firmware designs, NANDXtend ECC error correction technology, and performance-enhancing algorithms. These innovations enable AI applications to run smoothly and efficiently, regardless of the data's complexity or scale.

Security and reliability in AI data storage

One of the most critical challenges in AI data storage is ensuring data security and reliability. Data security becomes paramount as AI systems become more integrated into industries like finance, healthcare, and telecommunications. Silicon Motion has made significant strides in developing security solutions that protect data at both the cloud and edge levels.

For example, the company's SM8366 controller offers robust security features, including encryption and advanced access controls, to ensure that sensitive data is protected throughout the AI processing pipeline. Additionally, Silicon Motion's focus on improving data efficiency through technologies like Power Management and Quality of Service (QoS) control ensures that AI applications can run smoothly and securely.

Driving the future with MonTitan

As we look toward 2025 and beyond, Silicon Motion is set to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of AI and big data. The company's MonTitan Enterprise SSD Development Platform is specifically engineered for AI data centres and edge servers, addressing the increasing need for high-performance, power-efficient, and data-secure storage solutions.

With AI rapidly moving from the cloud to the edge, the demand for advanced SSD controller technologies is accelerating. Silicon Motion is ready to meet this challenge, delivering innovative solutions in storage capacity, data security, and performance optimisation.

Through our cutting-edge advancements, we will continue to lead the evolution of AI and big data infrastructure for years to come.