The new Zen 4 portable computers in the AMD Ryzen 7040 line now feature “Ryzen AI,” incorporating XilinxIP technology. While Linux support was initially lacking, the integration of Zen AI into various processors is expanding. In response to customer feedback solicited by AMD in October regarding Ryzen AI Linux support, the company has introduced the XDNA Linux drivers to enable open-source backing for Ryzen AI.
Since the announcement in October, there has been a significant demand for Linux support, prompting AMD to quietly address the issue. The newly released open-source XDNA driver, although now available, is already separate from the main kernel tree. The XDNA driver is compatible with AMD Phoenix/Strix SoCs that are equipped with Ryzen AI. To utilize this driver on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, users must run Linux 6.7 core or later with IOMMU SVA support enabled, as per AMD’s specifications. Additionally, the Xilinx-XRT software needs to be developed to work in conjunction with these seed drivers. A test text is provided to ascertain the correct configuration of the vehicle stack.
The XDNA open-source Linux driver can be accessed via the amd/xdna-driver repository on GitHub for those interested in exploring it further.
The documentation currently lacks details on the maintenance of this driver outside the main kernel tree, potential upstreaming plans for integration into the mainstream kernel, or the full extent of AMD’s Linux support strategy. Efforts are underway to delve deeper into AMD’s roadmap for Ryzen AI/XDNA Linux in upcoming Phoronix articles and to evaluate this driver once a clearer picture of the software support expectations emerges.
