AI Engine and PL Kernels Data Communication - 2025.2 English - UG1603

AI Engine-ML Kernel and Graph Programming Guide (UG1603)

Document ID
UG1603
Release Date
2025-11-26
Version
2025.2 English

The AI Engine-ML array interface contains modules to communicate between AI Engine-MLs and PL kernels using AXI4-Stream connections. Generally, PL interfaces produce or consume data through stream interfaces. Based on whether buffer or stream data is communicated by the AI Engine kernels, DMA and ping-pong buffers can be involved.

Note: PL kernels run at a lower frequency than AI Engine kernels. Data must cross the clock domains between the AI Engine-ML clock and PL clock. The AMD Vitis™ environment handles the clock domain crossing (CDC) path automatically. It is recommended to run the PL kernel frequency as an integer factor of the AI Engine-ML frequency, if possible. For instance, as ½ or ¼ of the AI Engine-ML clock frequency.