SouthernCrossAI (SCX.ai) and SambaNova, a leader in next-generation AI infrastructure, have announced the launch of Australia's first ASIC‑based sovereign AI cloud — a breakthrough platform engineered to empower regional governments and enterprises with secure, high‑performance, onshore AI infrastructure. This new alliance marks a milestone in Australia's pursuit of digital independence and sustainable technology leadership.
"For the first time, Australian organisations can run advanced AI entirely onshore — without compromising speed, security, or sovereignty," said David Keane, CEO of SouthernCrossAI. "Our partnership with SambaNova ensures that every model, every byte, and every computation remains protected within Australia's borders, all while dramatically improving efficiency and reducing energy consumption."
Rodrigo Liang, CEO of SambaNova, added: "Together with SCX, we're ushering in a new era of sovereign AI — combining the most advanced hardware with a fully compliant national cloud. It's a model that aligns technical excellence with strategic independence."
Built for Sovereignty and Security
At the core of the SCX sovereign AI cloud are SambaNova's SN40L chips, delivering sustained high throughput for enterprise‑scale inferencing. All models, data pipelines, and system logs are processed exclusively within Australian jurisdiction — meeting the nation's highest standards in privacy, data protection, and regulatory compliance. This architecture positions Australia among the global leaders in sovereignty.
Designed for Efficiency and Sustainability
Purpose‑built ASIC technology delivers breakthrough performance at a fraction of the energy cost of conventional GPU clusters. SCX targets up to 10× greater energy efficiency, further enhanced by partnerships with renewable energy providers. With pioneering deployments supported by state initiatives and a nationwide rollout through 2026, the platform will create high‑tech jobs while advancing Australia's low‑emission digital economy.
Enterprise‑Ready AI at Scale
The SCX platform supports commercial and open‑source foundation models — including those from OpenAI, Meta (LLama models), Google, and DeepSeek — as well as customer‑owned, fine‑tuned models hosted domestically under full IP control. The first node in New South Wales will go live by late 2025, followed by South Australia in 2026, establishing low‑latency nationwide connectivity for critical sectors such as research, healthcare, and public administration.
Platform Overview
ASIC‑based Performance
The platform delivers ~3× higher inference throughput with significant power savings versus leading GPU clouds (based on vendor specifications and Company analysis).
Energy Efficiency
The Company targets up to ~10× lower energy cost per inference compared with traditional GPU deployments, supporting sustainability objectives allowing the deployment of SCX's AI Factories into existing data centres nationwide.
Model Choice and Control
Supports leading commercial and open‑source foundation models (including from OpenAI, Meta (Llama family), Google (Gemma) and DeepSeek), plus customer‑owned fine‑tuned models hosted onshore with full IP control, including the launch of SCX's Project MAGPiE fine tuned model for Australia.
Rollout Plan
First cloud node in New South Wales (NSW) is expected to be operational by the end of 2025; additional node in South Australia (1H26); objective to establish presence in every Australian state during 2026, enabling low‑latency nationwide access. All deployed within existing datacentres eliminating the need to build new facilities, reducing capex requirements whilst delivering significant capacity.
"By combining world‑class performance with national‑level data assurance, SCX's infrastructure will become the technology backbone of Australia's AI future," said Keane. "This collaboration demonstrates how strategic partnerships can drive both competitiveness and responsible innovation."
About SCX
SCX is Australia's provider of sovereign AI infrastructure, delivering high-performance cloud solutions fully aligned with data security and privacy requirements. Its national network of ASIC-powered nodes enables government and enterprise clients to operate cutting-edge AI under complete domestic control.
About SambaNova
Customers turn to SambaNova to quickly deploy state-of-the-art generative AI capabilities within the enterprise. Our purpose-built enterprise-scale AI platform is the technology backbone for the next generation of AI computing.
Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, SambaNova Systems was founded in 2017 by industry luminaries, and hardware and software design experts from Sun/Oracle and Stanford University. Investors include SoftBank Vision Fund 2, funds and accounts managed by BlackRock, Intel Capital, GV, Walden International, Temasek, GIC, Redline Capital, Atlantic Bridge Ventures, Celesta, and several others. Visit us at sambanova.ai or contact us at info@sambanova.ai. Follow SambaNova Systems on LinkedIn and on X.
Authorised for release by The Board of Directors of SCX.
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Forward‑looking Statements
This announcement contains forward‑looking statements, including statements regarding expected performance, energy efficiency, capital investment requirements, rollout timing, future deployments and potential customer outcomes. Forward‑looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside the Company's control and may cause actual outcomes to differ materially. No representation or warranty is made as to the accuracy, completeness or likelihood of achievement of any forward‑looking statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward‑looking statements and, except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update them. Performance figures are based on vendor specifications and Company analysis and may vary with workload, configuration and operating conditions. Unless otherwise stated, figures are estimates and targets and are subject to change.