Life on the edge: Networking challenges of AI deployments

Deploying AI models to edge devices presents significant challenges in connectivity and security, as current edge device tools are not suited for the complex workloads these applications require. Unlike traditional IoT deployments, AI applications at the edge demand higher bandwidth, lower latency, and more sophisticated access controls. Common methods like leveraging cloud IoT device management and using traditional VPNs are insufficient, as they introduce latency and rely on network trust. Tailscale proposes a novel approach by incorporating identity into the network layer, enabling direct and secure device connections without relying on IP addresses. This method aims to facilitate the creation of resilient, flexible, and secure networks, supporting the evolving demands of AI and computer vision applications.