diff --git a/projects/composablekernel/dispatcher/python/gemm_utils.py b/projects/composablekernel/dispatcher/python/gemm_utils.py
index c3c13485bce8..95f5444bddd5 100644
--- a/projects/composablekernel/dispatcher/python/gemm_utils.py
+++ b/projects/composablekernel/dispatcher/python/gemm_utils.py
@@ -377,6 +377,30 @@ def cleanup(self) -> None:
 # ============================================================================
 
 
+def _fp32_to_bf16_u16(x: np.ndarray) -> np.ndarray:
+    """Encode fp32 -> bfloat16 bit pattern in a uint16 array (round-to-nearest-even).
+
+    numpy has no native bf16, but the C ABI only cares about the 2-byte memory
+    layout (sizeof(bf16_t) == 2 == sizeof(uint16)). Truncating the low 16 bits of
+    the fp32 representation with round-to-nearest-even matches ck_tile's bf16.
+    """
+    u32 = np.ascontiguousarray(x, dtype=np.float32).view(np.uint32)
+    # round-to-nearest-even: add (lsb-of-kept-bits + 0x7FFF) before truncating
+    rounding = ((u32 >> 16) & 1) + np.uint32(0x7FFF)
+    return ((u32 + rounding) >> 16).astype(np.uint16)
+
+
+def _bf16_u16_to_fp32(u16: np.ndarray) -> np.ndarray:
+    """Decode a uint16 bf16 bit pattern back to fp32 (low 16 mantissa bits zero)."""
+    return (u16.astype(np.uint32) << 16).view(np.float32)
+
+
+def _dtype_from_kernel_name(name: str) -> str:
+    """Extract the dtype token from a kernel name like ``gemm_<dtype>_<layout>_...``."""
+    parts = name.split("_")
+    return parts[1] if len(parts) > 1 else "fp16"
+
+
 class GpuGemmRunner:
     """High-level runner: construct from a .so path, call run(A, B, problem).
 
@@ -402,16 +426,30 @@ def run(
         M, N, K = problem.M, problem.N, problem.K
 
         # A is row-major MxK; B is supplied KxN and stored column-major (the
-        # 'c' in rcr), matching how the kernel expects its operands.
-        A_h = np.ascontiguousarray(A, dtype=np.float16)
-        B_h = np.ascontiguousarray(B.T, dtype=np.float16)
-        C_h = np.zeros((M, N), dtype=np.float16)
+        # 'c' in rcr), matching how the kernel expects its operands. The element
+        # dtype is dictated by the compiled kernel (encoded in its name); the C
+        # ABI sizes its buffers from sizeof(ADataType), so the host buffers must
+        # match it byte-for-byte.
+        dtype = _dtype_from_kernel_name(self._kernel_name)
+        if dtype == "bf16":
+            A_h = _fp32_to_bf16_u16(A)
+            B_h = _fp32_to_bf16_u16(np.ascontiguousarray(B.T))
+            C_h = np.zeros((M, N), dtype=np.uint16)
+        else:  # fp16 (default)
+            A_h = np.ascontiguousarray(A, dtype=np.float16)
+            B_h = np.ascontiguousarray(B.T, dtype=np.float16)
+            C_h = np.zeros((M, N), dtype=np.float16)
 
         status, time_ms = self.lib.run(A_h, B_h, C_h, M, N, K)
 
+        if dtype == "bf16":
+            C_out = _bf16_u16_to_fp32(C_h)
+        else:
+            C_out = C_h
+
         tflops = (problem.flops / (time_ms * 1e-3)) / 1e12 if time_ms > 0 else 0.0
         return GemmResult(
-            output=C_h,
+            output=C_out,
             time_ms=time_ms,
             status=status,
             tflops=tflops,
diff --git a/projects/composablekernel/tile_engine/ops/gemm/gemm_full_benchmark.py b/projects/composablekernel/tile_engine/ops/gemm/gemm_full_benchmark.py
index 4b90a99cc2ea..ed296e35d6f8 100644
--- a/projects/composablekernel/tile_engine/ops/gemm/gemm_full_benchmark.py
+++ b/projects/composablekernel/tile_engine/ops/gemm/gemm_full_benchmark.py
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
 # column-major B (rcr). Constrain the CLI to what the runner actually supports so
 # a mismatched --dtype/--layout fails fast instead of silently benchmarking the
 # wrong thing. Later phases widen these sets as the runner gains signatures.
-SUPPORTED_DTYPES = ("fp16",)
+SUPPORTED_DTYPES = ("fp16", "bf16")
 SUPPORTED_LAYOUTS = ("rcr",)
 
 
diff --git a/projects/composablekernel/tile_engine/ops/gemm/run_one_gemm_kernel.py b/projects/composablekernel/tile_engine/ops/gemm/run_one_gemm_kernel.py
index 23fca859d4a4..e0c71d768b12 100644
--- a/projects/composablekernel/tile_engine/ops/gemm/run_one_gemm_kernel.py
+++ b/projects/composablekernel/tile_engine/ops/gemm/run_one_gemm_kernel.py
@@ -37,8 +37,10 @@ def _run_one(idx, so_path, prob_dict, kernel_name):
         problem = GemmProblem.from_dict(prob_dict)
 
         np.random.seed(42)
-        A = (np.random.randn(problem.M, problem.K) * 0.1).astype(np.float16)
-        B = (np.random.randn(problem.K, problem.N) * 0.1).astype(np.float16)
+        # Generate fp32 source; the runner encodes to the kernel's real dtype
+        # (fp16 or bf16) based on the compiled kernel name.
+        A = (np.random.randn(problem.M, problem.K) * 0.1).astype(np.float32)
+        B = (np.random.randn(problem.K, problem.N) * 0.1).astype(np.float32)
 
         # CRITICAL: load the library ONLY inside this subprocess.
         runner = GpuGemmRunner(lib_path=so_path)