The announcement of FlashBlade//EXA is a strong statement of intent by Pure and represents a substantial expansion of its strategic intent over the longer term. The total number of opportunities among AI factories and hyperscalers may be relatively small, but the opportunity within each is potentially huge. FlashBlade//EXA, therefore, represents a potentially significant increase in Pure’s TAM. Additionally, in targeting this segment, Pure will gain substantial experience and understanding of large-scale requirements, which may be crucial as more mainstream organizations contemplate building their own large-scale AI infrastructures.

The question, then, is whether Pure can establish itself as a credible player in this space. On this point, it already has; in recent months, the company has been talking up a design win with a “top four hyperscaler.” Pure recently revealed this win to be with Meta, with whom it is already extensively engaged in supporting its efforts in AI and beyond. The timing of FlashBlade//EXA, therefore, couldn’t be better. The market for AI storage infrastructure may just be heating up, but Pure is already off to the races.