diff --git a/train/comms/pt/comms.py b/train/comms/pt/comms.py
index bcc48b52..e0a800ec 100755
--- a/train/comms/pt/comms.py
+++ b/train/comms/pt/comms.py
@@ -169,6 +169,13 @@ def readArgs(self, parser):
             "For add or sub, '--mm-dim m n' uses the dimension of input annd output tensors are (m x n)"
             "If only one value is provided, it uses the dimension of input and output tensors are (n x n), i.e., square tensors",
         )  # Matrix multiplication dim n, A[m,n] * B [n,p]
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--comp-data-type",
+            type=str,
+            default="float32",
+            help="datatype for GEMM or other compute kernels except emb_lookup"
+            + str(self.supportedDtype),
+        )
         # For emb lookup
         parser.add_argument(
             "--emb-dim",
@@ -362,6 +369,13 @@ def checkBasicArgs(self, args):
         args.collective = self._checkPt2Pt(args)
         args.device = self._check_device_type(args)
 
+        if args.comp_data_type not in self.supportedDtype:
+            logger.error(
+                f"Specified comp datatype: {args.comp_data_type} is not one of the supported commstyle: {str(self.supportedDtype)}"
+            )
+            comms_utils.gracefulExit()
+        args.comp_data_type = self.dtypeMap[args.comp_data_type]
+
         if args.size_start_profiler:
             args.size_start_profiler = comms_utils.parsesize(args.size_start_profiler)
 
@@ -974,13 +988,13 @@ def initCollectiveArgs(self, commsParams):
                     commsParams.mm_dim[1],
                     commsParams.mm_dim[1],
                     commsParams.mm_dim[2],
-                    commsParams.dtype,
+                    commsParams.comp_data_type,
                     curDevice,
                 )
 
                 if self.report:
                     print(
-                        f"[Rank {global_rank:>3}] mode: {commsParams.mode}, num_coll: {commsParams.num_coll}, kernel: {commsParams.kernel}, num_compute {commsParams.num_compute}, mm_dim {commsParams.mm_dim}"
+                        f"[Rank {global_rank:>3}] mode: {commsParams.mode}, num_coll: {commsParams.num_coll}, collectives datatype: {commsParams.data_type}, kernel: {commsParams.kernel}, num_compute {commsParams.num_compute}, mm_dim {commsParams.mm_dim}, comp_datatype {self.collectiveArgs.MMout.dtype} "
                     )
             elif commsParams.kernel == "emb_lookup":
                 comms_utils.init_emb_lookup(
@@ -1003,7 +1017,7 @@ def initCollectiveArgs(self, commsParams):
                 ) = self.prepComp(
                     commsParams.mm_dim[0],
                     commsParams.mm_dim[1],
-                    commsParams.dtype,
+                    commsParams.comp_data_type,
                     curDevice,
                     commsParams.kernel,
                 )
diff --git a/train/comms/pt/comms_utils.py b/train/comms/pt/comms_utils.py
index fc01cdc0..f5b32ab7 100644
--- a/train/comms/pt/comms_utils.py
+++ b/train/comms/pt/comms_utils.py
@@ -854,6 +854,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.inSplit = args.i
         self.outSplit = args.o
         self.data_type = args.data_type
+        self.comp_data_type = args.comp_data_type
         self.stepFactor = args.f
         self.stepBytes = args.sb
         self.srcOrDst = args.root
@@ -1361,18 +1362,19 @@ def prepGemmNotSquare(
         mm0_dim1: int,
         mm1_dim0: int,
         mm1_dim1: int,
-        dtype: str,
+        dtype: torch.dtype,
         curDevice: str,
         gemmTensor: torch.tensor = None,
     ) -> Tuple[torch.Tensor, torch.Tensor, torch.Tensor]:
         if gemmTensor is None:
-            in1 = np.random.rand(mm0_dim0, mm0_dim1)
-            in2 = np.random.rand(mm1_dim0, mm1_dim1)
-
-            MMin1 = torch.FloatTensor(in1).to(curDevice)
-            MMin2 = torch.FloatTensor(in2).to(curDevice)
+            MMin1 = self.backendFuncs.alloc_random(
+                (mm0_dim0, mm0_dim1), curDevice, dtype
+            )
+            MMin2 = self.backendFuncs.alloc_random(
+                (mm1_dim0, mm1_dim1), curDevice, dtype
+            )
             MMout = self.backendFuncs.alloc_empty(
-                (mm0_dim0, mm1_dim1), dtype, curDevice
+                (mm0_dim0, mm1_dim1), curRankDevice=curDevice, dtype=dtype
             )
         else:
             mm_size0 = mm0_dim0 * mm0_dim1
@@ -1393,7 +1395,7 @@ def prepComp(
         self,
         mm_dim0: int,
         mm_dim1: int,
-        dtype: str,
+        dtype: torch.dtype,
         curDevice: str,
         kernel: str,
     ) -> Tuple[torch.Tensor, torch.Tensor, torch.Tensor]:
@@ -1404,16 +1406,20 @@ def prepComp(
                 [mm_dim0, mm_dim1], curDevice, dtype
             )
             compOut = self.backendFuncs.alloc_empty(
-                [mm_dim0, mm_dim1], dtype, curDevice
+                [mm_dim0, mm_dim1], curDevice, dtype
             )
         else:
             compOut = self.backendFuncs.alloc_empty(
-                [mm_dim0, mm_dim1], dtype, curDevice
+                [mm_dim0, mm_dim1], curDevice, dtype
             )
         return (compOut, compIn1, compIn2)
 
     def prepGemm(
-        self, mm_dim: int, dtype: str, curDevice: str, gemmTensor: torch.tensor = None
+        self,
+        mm_dim: int,
+        dtype: torch.dtype,
+        curDevice: str,
+        gemmTensor: torch.tensor = None,
     ) -> Tuple[torch.Tensor, torch.Tensor, torch.Tensor]:
         return self.prepGemmNotSquare(
             mm_dim, mm_dim, mm_dim, mm_dim, dtype, curDevice, gemmTensor
diff --git a/train/comms/pt/pytorch_dist_backend.py b/train/comms/pt/pytorch_dist_backend.py
index 9f874315..d7e76b1d 100644
--- a/train/comms/pt/pytorch_dist_backend.py
+++ b/train/comms/pt/pytorch_dist_backend.py
@@ -820,7 +820,7 @@ def alloc_embedding_tables(self, n, m, curRankDevice, dtype):
         )
         return EE
 
-    def alloc_empty(self, sizeArr, dtype, curRankDevice):
+    def alloc_empty(self, sizeArr, curRankDevice, dtype):
         return torch.empty(sizeArr, device=curRankDevice, dtype=dtype)
 
     def clear_memory(self, collectiveArgs):