Broadcom's chip unit unveiled a new networking processor that aims to speed artificial intelligence data crunching, which requires stringing together hundreds of chips that work together.

According to Broadcom, Tomahawk Ultra achieves a switch latency of 250 nanoseconds at a full 51.2 terabits per second of throughput. It supports line-rate switching for packets as small as 64 bytes and can handle up to 77 billion packets per second.

Broadcom’s chip division rolled out a new networking processor on Tuesday, designed to turbocharge artificial intelligence workloads that demand tight coordination among hundreds of compute units. The announcement marks another salvo in its tussle with AI chip-making leader,