In-Network Collective Operations: Game Changer or Challenge for AI Workloads?

📅 2026-01-01
🏛️ Computer
📈 Citations: 0
✨ Influential: 0
📄 PDF
🤖 AI Summary
This study systematically investigates the acceleration potential and deployment challenges of In-Network Collective (INC) operations for AI workloads. Focusing on Edge-INC and Core-INC architectures, it presents—for the first time—a clear technical roadmap accessible to non-experts, along with a comparative architectural analysis, performance modeling, and identification of key obstacles, covering both node-level and switch-embedded implementations. The work demonstrates the significant advantages of INC in enhancing the efficiency of collective communication in AI systems, delineates the distinct application scenarios suited to each paradigm, and distills six critical challenges and emerging trends. These insights offer valuable guidance for interdisciplinary research and engineering practice in next-generation AI infrastructure.

Technology Category

Machine Learning: Learning on the Edge & Model CompressionHumans and AI: Other Foundations of Human Computation & AIMultiagent Systems: Agent/AI Theories and Architectures

Application Category

Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Incentives in network design for Web infrastructures and ecosystemsSystems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Applied ML and AI for Web-based mobile applicationsGraph Algorithms and Modeling for the Web: Graph neural networks and deep learning approaches for Web-related graphs
📝 Abstract
This paper summarizes the opportunities of in-network collective operations for accelerated collective operations in artificial intelligence (AI) workloads. We provide sufficient detail to make this important field accessible to nonexperts in AI or networking, fostering a connection between these communities.
Problem

Research questions and friction points this paper is trying to address.

In-Network Collective Operations
AI workloads
Edge-INC
Core-INC
collective operations
Innovation

Methods, ideas, or system contributions that make the work stand out.

In-Network Computing
Collective Operations
AI Workloads
Edge-INC
Core-INC
🔎 Similar Papers
No similar papers found.
💼 Related Jobs
No related jobs found.
Torsten Hoefler
Torsten Hoefler
Professor of Computer Science at ETH Zurich
High Performance ComputingDeep LearningNetworkingMessage Passing InterfaceParallel and Distributed Computing
M
Mikhail Khalilov
ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
J
Josiah Clark
AMD, Santa Clara, USA
S
Surendra Anubolu
Broadcom Inc., San Jose, USA
M
Mohan Kalkunte
Broadcom Inc., San Jose, USA
K
Karen Schramm
Broadcom Inc., San Jose, USA
E
Eric Spada
Broadcom Inc., San Jose, USA
D
Duncan Roweth
Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Palo Alto, USA
K
Keith Underwood
Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Palo Alto, USA
A
Adrian Caulfield
Microsoft, Redmond, USA
Abdul Kabbani
Abdul Kabbani
Principal Architect, Microsoft and Adjunct Associate Professor, University of California
Systems and Networking
A
Amirreza Rastegari
Microsoft, Redmond, USA