AMD’s answer to Nvidia’s DGX Spark AI workstations, codenamed the Ryzen AI Halo, will be available for pre-order later next month for anyone with $3,999 burning a hole in their pocket.

That might sound like a lot for an AI mini PC, but don’t worry. Compared to cloud APIs, it practically pays for itself. Or, well, that’s AMD’s sales pitch. The House of Zen argues that if you spend eight hours a day vibe coding, the system could save you $750 a month.

Whether this helps you justify paying for hardware that less than a year ago could be found for between $2,200 and $2,999 or not, it’s (probably) not AMD being greedy here; the RAMpocalypse has been hard on everyone.

Much like the DGX Spark, which now retails for $4,699, up from $3,999 when we reviewed it last fall, AMD’s rendition aims to provide a curated developer environment for running local models and agentic AI frameworks.

This is really the core value proposition behind both of these devices. They aren’t the most powerful or the fastest AI systems, but they’re able to run models that a few years ago would have cost $20K or more.

A little box of TOPS

The diminutive system measures in at 5.9 x 5.9 x 1.7 inches (150 x 150 x 43 mm) and is powered by a 120 watt Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU, better known by its codename Strix Halo. 

The chip is backed by 128 GB of LPDDR5x 8000 MT/s memory, which feeds both its 16 Zen 5 cores and 40 RDNA 3.5 GPU compute units, providing up to 256 GB/s of bandwidth, more than a Ryzen 9000 Threadripper (non-Pro) system.

For local AI enthusiasts, that’s enough to run models up to 200 billion parameters in size at 4-bit precision — just like the more expensive Spark.

The bulk of the Ryzen AI Halo’s compute comes from its integrated graphics, which are capable of delivering roughly 56 teraFLOPS at 16-bit precision.

While impressive for onboard graphics, that’s still between 55 and 88 percent slower than what the DGX Spark advertises.

Unlike the Spark’s Blackwell-based GB10 APU, Strix Halo doesn’t support FP8 or FP4 data types in hardware. At BF16, the Spark delivers 125, at FP8 250, and FP4 500 teraFLOPS. Double those figures if you happen to find a workload that can leverage Nvidia’s 4:2 sparsity.

That performance discrepancy won’t necessarily be obvious in every workload. In fact, in LLM inference, AMD claims the AI Halo generates tokens 4-14 percent faster than the Spark.

The lower end of that roughly matches what we saw when we pitted the Spark against a similarly equipped HP Z2 Mini G1a back in December. The G1a packs the same silicon as AI Halo, and in Llama.cpp with the Vulkan backend, eked out a small but meaningful lead over the Spark in tokens per second generated.

However, the speed any GPU can generate tokens at is largely dictated by effective memory bandwidth, not floating point performance. GPU compute has a much bigger impact on things like prompt processing time.

In our testing, the Spark’s more capable tensor cores gave it a 2x to 3x lead in prompt processing. For shorter prompts, this isn’t all that noticeable, usually the difference between waiting 100 ms versus 200 ms or 300 ms, but for longer prompts, it did become more pronounced.

We saw the Spark take similar leads in our image generation and fine tuning benchmarks, but it’s worth noting that AMD’s software stack has matured greatly since our initial review and the performance gap has likely closed somewhat since then.

AMD’s AI Halo does have two things going for it that can’t be said of the Spark. Alongside the GPU is an XDNA 2-based neural processing unit (NPU) that AMD rates for 50 TOPS. What good that’ll do you depends heavily on the application in question. Many content creation apps have now been updated to take advantage of it, but the number of generative AI inference engines that could properly harness it was quite limited the last time we looked.

The second thing AMD’s Ryzen AI Halo has going for it is that it’s a standard x86 box at its heart, and you can run Windows or your preferred flavor of Linux on it if that’s more your style. On the Spark, you’re stuck with a lightly customized version of Ubuntu 24.04. Beyond that, you’re coloring outside the lines.

Particularly for developers building for Microsoft’s NPU-accelerated AI PC ecosystem, this is an obvious advantage.

In terms of networking, AMD’s Spark-clone falls a bit flat. One of the hallmark features of Nvidia’s AI workstation is a 200 Gbps ConnectX-7 NIC, which allows for clustering of up to two and eventually four systems.

AMD’s AI Halo has a single 10 Gbps NIC, which should help with downloading large model files in a timely manner. In theory, the system should be able to achieve high-speed networking over USB-4, but it’s not clear whether this is actually a supported use case.

That said, Apple has already demonstrated just this using RDMA over Thunderbolt, so it should work so long as AMD has a playbook for configuring RDMA on its systems.

AMD’s own AI lab

As we mentioned earlier, much of the Ryzen AI Halo’s value proposition comes from being validated hardware with well documented playbooks for common use cases and known good software.

Finding the right combination of device drivers, ROCm, HIP, SYCL, CUDA, PyTorch, TensorFlow, and JAX has long plagued the AI/ML devs, regardless of which ecosystem you opt for.

Having validated environments for workloads, whether it be vLLM, Llama.cpp, Ollama, ComfyUI, or something else ensures users spend more time doing something productive than debugging mismatched dependencies.

At launch, AMD says the Ryzen AI Halo will ship with five preinstalled playbooks, with another 10 available online and additional playbooks to be added monthly.

Additionally, customers will gain access to AMD’s developer program, cloud credits, and exclusive playbooks. 

More memory on the way

The 128 GB Ryzen AI Halo will be available for pre-order next month starting at $3,999, but if that isn’t enough for you, AMD is already prepping a higher capacity version of the system with 192 GB of memory on board.

That system will feature a refreshed Ryzen APU in the AI Max+ 495, which just like the rest of AMD’s 400-series lineup gets a modest clock bump to the CPU, GPU, and NPU, and not a whole lot else.

Still, 192 GB of unified memory opens the door to even larger, more capable models, if you can stomach the presumably higher asking price. ®

Qivalis plans for a market launch in the second half of 2026.

Bank of Ireland and AIB have joined a consortium of European banks working towards issuing a euro-denominated stablecoin.

The two Irish banks joined the Qivalis consortium alongside 23 other banks – including Cecabank, Erste Group, Groupe BPCE and the National Bank of Greece – taking the group’s total strength to 37 banks from across 15 countries in the region.

The group wants to introduce euro-denominated stablecoins to expand Europe’s financial infrastructure and compete with US-backed versions, which make up the overwhelming majority of stablecoins in circulation. Big names such as Danske Bank, ING and KBC joined the consortium last September.

Stablecoins are a digital asset generally linked 1:1 to a chosen fiat currency. These digital assets allow for round-the-clock liquidity and near instant settlements.

The combined market capitalisation of all stablecoins exceeds $300bn, with around 90pc of it held by Tether and Circle; euro-denominated stablecoins only total around €395m, according to EU figures from November – or around 0.2pc of the total in circulation, according to Qivalis.

“The euro is Europe’s currency, and on-chain financial infrastructure should carry it – built by European institutions and governed by European rules,” said Jan-Oliver Sell, the CEO of Qivalis.

Formed in 2025, Qivalis is currently in pursuit of European regulatory approval to become an authorised electronic money institution. The consortium is targeting a market launch in the second half of 2026.

“We are investing in this consortium because we believe Europe needs trusted, regulated innovation in payments and settlement,” said Geraldine Casey, the managing director of retail banking at AIB.

“Qivalis will provide access to a euro-denominated stablecoin that is being developed to operate within the EU regulatory framework.”

As part of the consortium, AIB has said that it will collaborate with other European banks to innovate payments systems.

“This is a practical step for AIB to learn, innovate, test and collaborate with other leading European banks, and to help shape how new forms of digital money can be used safely, responsibly and within the regulated banking system,” Casey added.

The European Central Bank, meanwhile, has moved to the next phase of the digital euro project, with plans for a pilot digital euro project in mid-2027 and issuance in 2029.

Howard Davies, Qivalis’s chairperson, added: “This infrastructure is essential if Europe is to compete in the global digital economy whilst preserving its strategic autonomy.

“The euro’s role in the eurozone’s monetary system will increasingly depend on whether it is present – as the primary settlement currency – on the rails where global value moves.”

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Disclaimer: Unless otherwise stated, any opinions expressed below belong solely to the author. Data sourced from the Economic Development Board and Singapore Department of Statistics.

After a turbulent 2025, following the return of Donald Trump to the White House and the wave of trade tariffs the US unleashed on the world, 2026 offered a promise of greater stability. Singapore weathered the storm exceptionally well, bouncing up to a 5% GDP growth, despite fears of a global recession, raising expectations for the new year as well.

Unfortunately, another geopolitical event shook the world on Feb 28, when the US and Israel decided to deal a final blow to the Iranian regime, leading to massive disruptions in oil and gas trade from the Persian Gulf and sending global energy prices soaring.

Since all economies depend on fuel and electricity, virtually every area of our activity is affected. It should be no surprise, then, that the city-state’s business outlook for the coming months has taken a tumble as a result.

Services reeling from fear, manufacturing still supported by AI

Expectations of Singapore-based businesses for the next six months are overwhelmingly negative. Only four industries expect an uptick in activity, with the rest firmly in the red (the figures show the net weighted percentage of positive/ negative answers collected by EDB and Singapore Department of Statistics in their quarterly surveys).

Local manufacturing is, fortunately, still on life support, thanks to the ongoing tech boom in Artificial Intelligence, which is keeping demand for semiconductor products and related sectors high.

Interestingly, the IT rally has been more than enough to offset the suffering of other manufacturing sectors, boosting the overall average:

You can see it reflected in employment forecasts as well, as manufacturing is expected to look for more employees than before. The caveat, of course, is that the demand is highly uneven and driven by a potential bubble which may suddenly burst, leaving thousands of people out of a job overnight.

Employment plans collapse

While this dire prediction about AI frenzy is still a ‘maybe,’ job prospects in services—where a large majority of Singaporeans are employed—are already very grim.

For comparison’s sake, let’s start with what the figures showed in the first quarter of the year:

All but two industries expected increased hiring, having just had a really strong 2025, against the odds and fears.

Now, however, let’s look at what Singapore employers are saying today:

As you can see, the mood has shifted entirely. Only those in Recreation & Personal services expect to bring more people on board (although it’s hard to say how many of these jobs are directed to Singaporeans).

Not even the lucrative Finance industry is being spared this time, and may see job cuts instead of hiring this quarter.

To understand just how big a shift it is, just look at the collapse in sentiments between the two quarters:

With the exception of Real Estate, which is somewhat insulated from the global turmoil (cooling measures for foreign buyers have been in place for a while already, while the local market remains stable and predictable), every other industry has seen a decline in expected hiring activity.

Retail trade appears to be worst hit, having dropped sharply, by 35 percentage points, from a net positive 12 to negative 23.

That said, virtually everybody is less optimistic than they were at the start of 2026. And unless the war with Iran comes to a conclusion soon, companies may be reluctant to increase hiring, given higher operational costs and uncertainty about the consequences of the conflict.

The only consolation is that we already lived through a similar turmoil around the same time last year. All’s well that ends well.

• Read other articles we’ve written on Singapore’s job landscape here.

Featured Image Credit: Shadow_of_light/ depositphotos

Production at Gardenia’s Pandan Loop manufacturing facility will end on Jun 30

Home-grown bread manufacturer Gardenia is shifting its bakery production from Singapore to Johor Bahru, Malaysia. As a result, it will lay off 141 employees at its Pandan Loop facility, Channel News Asia reported on Wednesday (May 20).

The company cited ongoing efforts to improve operational efficiency and remain competitive amid an increasingly challenging global environment as the reason for the move.

Production at the Pandan Loop manufacturing facility will end on Jun 30.

“Gardenia informed employees of the decision at an internal meeting this morning and said affected staff will receive the appropriate notice period and support in line with local regulations and guidelines,” the company said in a media release.

“The company is also considering eligible employees for suitable roles within the group’s network of operations where possible.”

Singapore will remain Gardenia’s central hub for brand management, product development, quality and regulatory oversight, distribution, and supply chain—retaining about 250 employees post-transition.

Its Singapore team will also continue to oversee quality governance and ensure compliance with requirements set by the Singapore Food Agency and the Health Promotion Board.

Gardenia said that the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU) was informed in advance about the layoffs.

“This enabled the union to quickly mobilise support such as training, job placement assistance, and discussions on fair retrenchment terms. FDAWU was also able to quickly tap on its network of unionised partners to identify suitable vacancies for affected workers,” it added.

“The union worked closely with Gardenia to ensure fair compensation and transition support for affected employees.”

Nearly five decades ago, Gardenia started as one small bakery in Bukit Timah Plaza in 1978. Today, it operates across Malaysia, the Philippines, and Australia.

Gardenia’s decision comes after similar moves by other food and beverage manufacturers.

In Mar, beverage company Yeo Hiap Seng (Yeo’s) announced it would lay off 25 employees at its Senoko facility as it shifts can manufacturing operations to Malaysia.

Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore, which brews Tiger Beer, also said recently that it would cut about 130 roles as it shifts production to other regional markets such as Malaysia and Vietnam.

• Read more stories we’ve written on the latest job trends here.

Featured Image Credit: National Trades Union Congress