Groq brings ultra-fast AI inference processing to Australia

US AI pioneer Groq has launched its world-leading AI inference stack, GroqCloud, in Australia to deliver faster, more efficient AI at scale for Australian businesses and the government.

Adoption of AI in Australia is accelerating. The Australian Government has identified AI as a critical technology for national prosperity, security and resilience. CSIRO estimates digital innovations could contribute A$315 billion to Australia’s GDP by 2030.

Groq delivers real-time AI performance at scale, powered by its LPU deterministic architecture and LPUs designed specifically for inference. From conversational AI to coding assistants and enterprise productivity tools, GroqCloud enables builders to deploy fast, efficient and cost-predictable AI across applications.

‘This is a game-changer for Australia,’ says Scott Albin, General Manager for Groq APAC. ‘Groq’s inference platform puts fast AI with economics that scale in the hands of every builder in Australia. This makes it easier and more affordable to deploy and manage AI applications that drive measurable gains in productivity, efficiency, and innovation across sectors.’

Accelerating AI adoption

Groq was founded in 2016 by Jonathan Ross, who invented Google’s TPU. Based in California, it’s one of the fastest-growing AI firms, valued at US$6.9 billion in September 2025, up from US$2.8 billion in August 2024. The company recently announced US$750 million in new financing as inference demand surges. 

In early 2025, Groq secured a US$1.5 billion investment commitment from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to expand its infrastructure footprint after building the region’s largest inference cluster in just 51 days. The company now operates 13 data centres worldwide with hundreds of thousands of LPUs deployed.

Unlike traditional GPU-based architectures, Groq’s LPU design is engineered for deterministic performance that delivers more than 5 times faster inference at 20% to 60% lower cost, while using up to 80% less power. This combination of speed, predictability and efficiency is transforming how real-time AI workloads are deployed.

Australian organisations can now run proprietary models on GroqCloud or in on-premise compute environments, enabling secure, low-latency processing for mission-critical workloads and agentic AI systems.

Australia a ‘centre of gravity’ for AI deployment

Albin says: ‘Australia is an important part of Groq’s global infrastructure strategy. Our expansion with Equinix brings Groq’s deterministic performance architecture closer to customers in Australia and across Asia-Pacific, delivering consistent, predictable output and measurable cost advantages.’

Australia’s sovereign AI capabilities are growing fast, marked by the launch of Sovereign Australia AI and other local alternatives to ChatGPT. Groq has partnered with Equinix to help customers meet data privacy and sovereignty requirements. This ensures enterprises and government agencies can deploy AI inference workloads with full control over their infrastructure, meeting the highest standards of compliance and data sovereignty, while also ensuring better performance and lower costs for AI inference. 

‘Australia is rapidly becoming a centre of gravity for AI deployment, with growing demand for high-performance, low-latency and cost-effective compute,’ says Jonathan Ross, CEO of Groq. ‘We are excited to help fuel the acceleration already underway in Australia and across the region.’

Australia’s AI revolution

Australia wants to be a producer of applied AI solutions, not just a consumer, so it can retain and grow economic returns from the AI revolution. The ability to easily integrate AI tools into their operations will improve productivity and competitiveness for Australian organisations.

With more than 200 data centres nationwide, Australia has the digital infrastructure to support its AI transformation. Amazon Web Services recently announced a A$20 billion investment through 2029 to expand its digital infrastructure footprint in Australia. Groq’s partner, Equinix, has 18 data centres across the country and is part of a broader network supporting Australia’s AI growth.  

Across the sector, many data centres are advancing sustainability by using renewable energy and groundwater cooling systems to improve energy efficiency and reduce waste.

How Austrade helped

Austrade has supported Groq since 2023, including:

• introductions to Australian Government stakeholders and across 3 state governments
• introductions to leaders across Australia’s R&D ecosystem, including CSIRO and the Pawsey Supercomputing Centre
• support with site visits to Australia including information, advice and introductions to local partners.

‘We’re excited to collaborate with Australia’s vibrant AI ecosystem,’ says Albin. ‘We appreciate the support from Austrade that connects us with the local community. Australia’s research and talent base offers exceptional opportunities for collaboration and innovation.’

Groq in Australia

Groq is already working with customers across Australia, including Canva, Sportsbet and FutureSecure, and partners such as Thoughtworks, Quantium and Deloitte. The company is working to meet more local demand with its growing footprint.  

‘At Quantium, we deploy AI at scale for Australia’s most trusted organisations, and we’ve seen firsthand what separates production deployments from pilot projects,’ says Ben Chan, Chief AI Officer at Quantium.

‘Fast inference determines what’s actually possible – not just making AI more cost-effective, but enabling capabilities like voice agents that respond in real time or complex workflows that stay interactive. This performance is what allows organisations to move from AI experimentation to enterprise-wide deployment.’

‘Asia Pacific is a key growth market for Groq, with half of our global developers already using GroqCloud based here,’ says Albin. ‘Our deployment in Sydney is just the first step in bringing high-performance, cost-efficient AI inference closer to the region.’