It might be the biggest private tech company you’ve ever heard of. But they are probably responsible for turning your computer on every morning.
AMI (American Megatrends Incorporated) started in suburban Atlanta in the 1980s and today is responsible for the firmware used in approximately 40% of all PCs and 80% of all servers.
Those familiar with AMI may recognize the logo on your computer’s startup screen. Founder Subramonian Shankar started out developing motherboards for Dell computers, but the team and the scope of technology has grown over the years. AMI now focuses on how hardware “talks” to its software, better known as the basic input, output system (BIOS).
It’s a part of the computer you probably don’t think about much, says Kelly Bryant, Chief Product Officer. But we should, as cyber threats become more sophisticated.
“Firmware is probably one of the biggest threat vectors, which means a lot of hackers are starting to focus on lower-level firmware and software,” Bryant told Hypepotamus. Firmware attacks have become more common as the number of data centers increases and embedded servers become more prominent in high-tech devices.
This is the goal of AMI’s latest product, Tektagon, a trusted platform that ensures that no changes have been made to the firmware.
This is in addition to other products like Aptio, which is the “start-up” technology, and MegaRAC, a remote management solution to keep global servers up and running, which is used in server brands like Intel, AMD and Ampere.
Atlanta’s role in the IT world
Take a walk around Atlanta and you’ll likely come across a t-shirt or jacket branded “Atlanta Influences Everything,” which is from a local company highlighting the city’s impact on global arts and culture.
AMI proves that Atlanta has long influenced the global computing world.
AMI has been around since 1985, and Bryant admits that Atlanta could be considered “off the beaten path” compared to traditional computing technology centers. Yet it has been central to AMI’s growth.
AMI employs 1,400 people in the United States and at its major development centers in Taiwan and India. Many of the 400 people based in Atlanta are longtime employees who have been there for more than a decade, Bryant says.
The AMI team now occupies NCR’s buildings in Duluth after the payment processing giant moved to Midtown.
