Groq Cloud
LPU-powered inference cloud for real-time AI applications.
Description
Groq Cloud is the API layer for Groq's Language Processing Unit, a custom inference chip designed from scratch by Jonathan Ross, the engineer who created Google's original TPU. Founded in 2016 in Mountain View, California, Groq spent nearly a decade building purpose-built inference silicon before ChatGPT validated the market. In December 2025, NVIDIA entered a non-exclusive licensing agreement for Groq's inference architecture, reported at approximately $20 billion, with Ross and Groq's president joining NVIDIA while Simon Edwards stepped in as CEO and GroqCloud continued operating independently.
Key Capabilities:
LPU inference delivering 500–800 tokens per second on open-source models
Deterministic latency with no batching required per individual request
Multi-modal support for LLMs, speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and image-to-text
Open-source model catalog including Llama 4, DeepSeek R1, Mixtral, Gemma, and Kimi K2
OpenAI-compatible API for low-friction migration from GPU-based inference providers
Public, private, and co-cloud deployment options
GroqRack on-premise deployment for air-gapped and regulated environments
Global data center footprint across the US, Canada, Europe, and the Middle East
Free tier with approximately 14,400 requests per day across most models
Usage-based pricing with no long-term commitments
GroqCloud dashboard for API key management and usage monitoring
Groq Chat consumer interface for model testing without code
Alternative tools
- Fireworks AI
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- Together AI
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- Replicate
Run open-source AI models through a single API.