AMD Requests Open Source Project ZLUDA to Remove All Code Amid Potential Legal Dispute with Nvidia

Nvidia's competitive edge includes CUDA, and to achieve better compatibility, the open-source project ZLUDA created a translation layer that allows programs initially compiled for Nvidia CUDA GPUs to run on AMD graphics cards.

However, AMD had previously ceased funding for the ZLUDA project, as Nvidia had banned the use of translation layers in CUDA-based software. Nvidia aims to protect its proprietary technology, including from open-source projects that might infringe on copyright protections.

Now, likely due to concerns about potential legal disputes with Nvidia, AMD has requested Andrzej Janik, the developer of the ZLUDA project, to delete all of the project's code. Janik has complied with AMD’s request.

On the project's homepage, Andrzej Janik stated:

"At the request of AMD, the code previously available here has been removed. This code was published after receiving approval via email from AMD, but AMD's legal team now states that the prior email approvals are no longer legally binding, and these approvals have been revoked."

"Have I received any requests or threats from Nvidia? No, I have not received any legal threats or communication from Nvidia."

Initially, the ZLUDA project, using the Level Zero software stack, was created for Intel GPUs. After receiving funding from AMD, the developer successfully modified ZLUDA to run on AMD GPUs, allowing various CUDA applications to be used on AMD graphics cards.

The agreement between Andrzej Janik and AMD allowed for the ZLUDA code to be open-sourced after the termination of the contract. In February, after AMD stopped its funding, the ZLUDA code was publicly released, but now AMD's legal team has requested the removal of the repository from GitHub.

The developer is currently seeking new financial support for the project and considering its future direction, including rebuilding ZLUDA from AMD's previous codebase, though some functionalities might never be restored.