The 10 Best Confidential Computing Platforms for AI in 2027
By Kory White · Updated Oct 2026 · 6 min read
Direct answer
Azure Confidential Computing is the best confidential computing platform for AI: its confidential GPU VMs pair AMD SEV-SNP CPUs with NVIDIA H100 GPUs in one trusted environment. NVIDIA Confidential Computing is #2 for GPU protection, and Google Cloud is #3 for multi-party work. AWS Nitro Enclaves adds no extra fee.
Banks and governments already running IBM Z or LinuxONE
Pick by what you want
Best overall
Azure Confidential Computing
Best GPU protection
NVIDIA Confidential Computing
Best multi-party
Google Cloud Confidential Computing
No extra fee
AWS Nitro Enclaves
Published per-token prices
Privatemode AI
The ranking
1
Azure Confidential Computing
Answrs VerdictThe most complete confidential CPU plus GPU offering from a major cloud.
Price: Not published as a flat rate; pricing depends on your confidential VM size (see the Azure Pricing Calculator)Confidential GPU: Confidential GPUs pair AMD 4th Gen EPYC processors with SEV-SNP and NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs, so the trusted execution environment spans the CPU and the attached GPUGPU VM size: NCCadsH100v5-series, listed as a confidential VM with confidential GPUAttestation: Confidential VMs boot only after attestation of the platform’s critical components and security settings, on AMD SEV-SNP or Intel TDX processorsLimits: Confidential GPU VMs list Ubuntu 22.04 LTS as the guest OS, and resizing is not supported
Azure confidential GPUs combine AMD 4th Gen EPYC processors with SEV-SNP and NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs, so the trusted environment covers both the CPU and the attached GPU. The NCCadsH100v5-series is the VM size, and confidential VMs boot only after attestation on AMD SEV-SNP or Intel TDX processors. Guest OS is Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and resizing is not supported. Price depends on VM size.
Go ifTeams that want to run GPU model serving inside a confidential VM with managed attestation
Skip ifYou need to resize GPU VMs after deployment
Why #1 over #2: It is the only pick here that delivers a confidential CPU and GPU together as a rentable VM, where NVIDIA supplies the GPU layer alone.
2
NVIDIA Confidential Computing
Answrs VerdictThe GPU layer that makes confidential AI inference practical.
Price: Not published; the page lists no pricePlatforms: Supported across the NVIDIA Rubin, NVIDIA Blackwell and NVIDIA Hopper platformsProtects: Encrypts and protects data during execution, including model weights, training and fine-tuning data and inference prompts, in a hardware-enforced trusted execution environmentPerformance: NVIDIA says AI workloads are protected at up to 98% of the performance of unsecured deployments; results depend on workload and configurationAttestation: Hardware-rooted attestation checks the environment’s integrity before sensitive code or data is released to it
NVIDIA Confidential Computing works across the Rubin, Blackwell and Hopper platforms. It encrypts model weights, training and fine-tuning data and inference prompts during execution, with hardware-rooted attestation. NVIDIA says workloads run at up to 98% of the performance of unsecured deployments, depending on workload and configuration. No price is listed.
Go ifAnyone who needs model weights and prompts protected while they sit in GPU memory
Skip ifYou need a single product you can buy; this is GPU technology delivered through partners
Why #2 over #3: It protects data inside the GPU, which Google’s CPU-focused Confidential Space page does not describe.
3
Google Cloud Confidential Computing
Answrs VerdictThe best multi-party option, thanks to Confidential Space.
Price: Not published on the overview page, which links to a separate pricing pageTechnologies: AMD SEV, AMD SEV-SNP, Intel TDX, and NVIDIA Confidential Computing for attached GPUsIntel TDX: Supported on C3, C4 and A3 High (a3-highgpu-1g) machine types; Intel TDX supports up to 192 vCPUsNVIDIA GPU: NVIDIA Confidential Computing is listed on A3 High in the zones europe-west4-c, us-central1-a and us-east5-aConfidential Space: A trusted execution environment designed to release secrets only to authorized workloads, so parties can share confidential data
Google Cloud offers AMD SEV, AMD SEV-SNP, Intel TDX and NVIDIA Confidential Computing for attached GPUs. Intel TDX is listed on C3, C4 and A3 High machines and supports up to 192 vCPUs, while NVIDIA Confidential Computing is listed on A3 High in europe-west4-c, us-central1-a and us-east5-a. Confidential Space releases secrets only to authorized workloads, so parties can share confidential data. Prices sit on a separate page.
Go ifMulti-party data collaboration and CPU or GPU workloads on Google Cloud
Skip ifYou need SEV-SNP outside N2D machines
Why #3 over #4: Confidential Space lets several parties pool data, which AWS Nitro Enclaves does not describe.
4
AWS Nitro Enclaves
Answrs VerdictThe simplest no-fee enclave for AWS shops.
Price: No additional charges for Nitro Enclaves; you pay for the EC2 instances and other AWS services you useIsolation: Fully isolated, hardened, highly constrained virtual machines with no persistent storage, no interactive access and no external networkingAdmin access: Even a root or admin user on the parent instance cannot access or SSH into an enclaveAttestation: A signed attestation document verifies the enclave’s identity and that only authorized code is running; AWS KMS can read and verify itProcessors: Processor agnostic, usable across instances powered by different CPU vendors
AWS Nitro Enclaves are fully isolated, hardened, highly constrained virtual machines with no persistent storage, no interactive access and no external networking. Even a root or admin user on the parent instance cannot access one. A signed attestation document can be verified by AWS KMS. There are no additional charges; you pay for the EC2 instances and other services you use.
Go ifProtecting keys, prompts and sensitive data handling on AWS with no extra fee
Skip ifYou need GPU memory protected; the page describes CPU enclaves only
Why #4 over #5: It costs nothing beyond the instance, unlike Fortanix, which hides its price behind a demo request.
5
Intel TDX and Trust Authority
Answrs VerdictStrong CPU isolation plus a free attestation service.
Price: Not published for TDX; Intel Trust Authority is free for customers using TEEs on select cloud providersTrust domains: Hardware-isolated virtual machines designed to protect sensitive data and applications from unauthorized accessMemory: Uses hardware extensions for managing and encrypting memory, including Intel Total Memory Encryption – Multi-KeyAttestation: Intel Trust Authority is a zero trust attestation SaaS service for TEEs on CPUs and GPUsClouds: Google Cloud lists Intel TDX on C3, C4 and A3 High machines
Intel TDX creates hardware-isolated virtual machines called trust domains, using hardware extensions to manage and encrypt memory, including Intel Total Memory Encryption – Multi-Key. Intel Trust Authority is a zero trust attestation SaaS service for TEEs on CPUs and GPUs, and is free for customers using TEEs on select cloud providers.
Go ifTeams that want a free, independent attestation service across clouds
Skip ifYou want a ready-to-run AI product; TDX is a processor feature
Why #5 over #6: It adds a free attestation service on top of the processor, which AMD’s SEV page does not offer.
6
AMD SEV-SNP
Answrs VerdictThe CPU base for several confidential GPU clouds.
Price: Not published; the page lists no priceSEV: A virtual machine-based confidential computing solution that protects data in use, with one key per virtual machine managed by the AMD Secure ProcessorSEV-SNP: Adds strong memory integrity protection to help prevent malicious hypervisor-based attacks such as data replay and memory re-mappingSEV-TIO: Extends the trusted execution environment to PCIe devices such as NICs, accelerators and storageCloud use: Azure confidential GPU VMs build on AMD 4th Gen EPYC processors with SEV-SNP
AMD SEV protects data in use with one key per virtual machine, managed by the AMD Secure Processor. SEV-SNP adds strong memory integrity protection against malicious hypervisor-based attacks such as data replay and memory re-mapping, and SEV-TIO extends the environment to PCIe devices. Azure confidential GPU VMs build on AMD 4th Gen EPYC with SEV-SNP. No price is listed.
Go ifWhole-VM isolation for unmodified AI workloads on AMD EPYC cloud instances
Skip ifYou want to isolate a single process rather than a whole VM
Why #6 over #7: It already underpins a rentable confidential GPU VM on Azure, which Intel’s overview page does not show.
7
Fortanix Confidential AI
Answrs VerdictThe strongest key-management story for confidential AI.
Price: Not published; the page offers Contact Us, Request a Demo and a free-trial linkWhat it does: Secures sensitive data, proprietary frontier models and agents across the full AI lifecycleHow it works: Runs AI workloads in confidential VMs or CNCF Confidential Containers on Kubernetes and releases data and model artifacts only after verified attestationKey management: A FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certified HSM with built-in KMSClouds: Supported public clouds listed are Azure and Google
Fortanix Confidential AI secures sensitive data, proprietary frontier models and agents across the AI lifecycle. It runs workloads in confidential VMs or CNCF Confidential Containers on Kubernetes, releases data and model artifacts only after verified attestation, and includes a FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certified HSM with built-in KMS. Supported public clouds are Azure and Google. Price is by Contact Us.
Go ifEnterprises that want attestation-gated keys and a key vault around confidential AI
Skip ifYou need a published price
Why #7 over #8: It bundles key management with attestation, while Anjuna’s page focuses on running apps unchanged.
8
Privatemode AI
Answrs VerdictThe only pick here with published per-token prices.
Price: Free plan at €0 with a one-time 5M tokens; pay-as-you-go from €0.65 per 1M output tokensgpt-oss-120b: €0.20 input and €0.65 output per 1M tokensGLM-5.3: €1.55 input and €5.74 output per 1M tokensEmbeddings: Qwen3-Embedding 4B at €0.13 per 1M input tokensOperator: Operated by Edgeless Systems, based in Germany, on confidential-computing infrastructure in the EU
Privatemode AI, operated by Edgeless Systems in Germany, runs open models on confidential-computing infrastructure in the EU. A free plan gives a one-time 5M tokens, and pay-as-you-go starts from €0.65 per 1M output tokens. gpt-oss-120b is €0.20 input and €0.65 output per 1M tokens, GLM-5.3 is €1.55 input and €5.74 output, and Qwen3-Embedding 4B is €0.13 input.
Go ifCalling open models through an API where prompts stay encrypted
Skip ifYou need to run your own models on your own hardware
Why #8 over #9: It publishes real per-token prices, which Anjuna’s trial-only page does not.
9
Anjuna Seaglass
Answrs VerdictThe easiest lift-and-shift into confidential computing.
Price: Not published; the page offers a 30-day free trial on AWS, Azure or Google CloudWhat it is: A universal confidential computing platform to run any app in any cloud, with no code changes requiredClouds: Runs on AWS, Azure and Google CloudAI: Anjuna Northstar is an AI data fusion clean room for safe collaboration with AI agents and sensitive data
Anjuna Seaglass is billed as a universal confidential computing platform that runs any app in any cloud with no code changes required, on AWS, Azure and Google Cloud. Anjuna Northstar adds an AI data fusion clean room for safe collaboration with AI agents and sensitive data. A 30-day free trial is offered; no price is published.
Go ifMoving existing apps into confidential computing across several clouds without rewriting them
Skip ifYou need published pricing
Why #9 over #10: It spans three clouds with no code changes, where IBM’s runtime is tied to IBM Z and LinuxONE.
10
IBM Confidential Computing Container Runtime
Answrs VerdictThe mainframe route to confidential computing.
Price: Not published; the page does not mention pricingName: IBM Hyper Protect Virtual Servers is now IBM Confidential Computing Container RuntimeWhat it does: Builds, deploys and manages Linux workloads with sensitive data on IBM Z and LinuxONEProtection: Protects sensitive Linux workloads from internal and external threats, with data encrypted and isolated at all times, using IBM Secure Execution for LinuxAvailability: Available on premises
IBM Hyper Protect Virtual Servers is now IBM Confidential Computing Container Runtime. It builds, deploys and manages Linux workloads with sensitive data on IBM Z and LinuxONE, using IBM Secure Execution for Linux to keep data encrypted and isolated, and is available on premises. The page lists no price.
Go ifBanks and governments already running IBM Z or LinuxONE
Skip ifYou run on x86 clouds
How we ranked these
We ranked platforms by how completely they protect AI data and models in use, then by cloud availability, attestation and published prices, using each vendor’s own pages. The old list’s Intel SGX, Oracle Cloud and a generic AWS entry were replaced: the pages we could fetch did not support the old claims about them, and Intel SGX is covered by the Intel TDX entry. Opaque Systems was left out because its site says it is winding down. Edgeless Systems’ former Continuum now redirects to Privatemode AI. Facts are taken from each maker's own published information; check the official site before you buy.
Questions people ask
What is confidential computing for AI?
It uses hardware trusted execution environments to protect data while it is being processed. NVIDIA says its version encrypts model weights, training and fine-tuning data and inference prompts during execution.
Which confidential GPU can I rent today?
Azure lists NCCadsH100v5 VMs that pair AMD SEV-SNP CPUs with NVIDIA H100 GPUs, and Google Cloud lists NVIDIA Confidential Computing on A3 High machines in three zones.
Does AWS Nitro Enclaves cost extra?
No. AWS says there are no additional charges for Nitro Enclaves; you pay for the EC2 instances and other AWS services you use.
What is attestation?
Attestation verifies that the environment is what it claims to be. On Azure, confidential VMs boot only after the platform’s critical components and security settings are attested.
Privatemode AI listed price per 1M tokens at a glance
Qwen3-Embedding 4B input0.13 EUR
gpt-oss-120b input0.2 EUR
gpt-oss-120b output0.65 EUR
GLM-5.3 input1.55 EUR
GLM-5.3 output5.74 EUR
Privatemode AI listed price per 1M tokens, as published by each maker. Picks without a published figure are left off.
