South Korean AI chip startup FuriosaAI introduced a partnership on Tuesday to produce its AI chip, RNGD, to enterprises utilizing LG AI Research‘s just lately unveiled EXAONE platform.
RNGD is optimized for working massive language fashions (LLMs) and just last week, the Korean tech giant LG unveiled its next-generation hybrid AI model EXAONE 4.0. The collaboration targets key sectors, together with electronics, finance, telecommunications, and biotechnology, for a spread of numerous functions.
This information comes roughly three months after FuriosaAI declined Meta’s $800 million acquisition offer, opting to stay impartial.
The deal fell by way of because of disagreements over post-acquisition enterprise technique and organizational construction, fairly than value points, in accordance with native media shops. Meta’s curiosity in buying AI chipmakers like FuriosaAI displays its broader technique to scale back its reliance on third-party suppliers, equivalent to Nvidia.
When requested why the take care of Meta fell by way of, CEO of FuriosaAI June Paik advised TechCrunch: “We wish to proceed our mission, and I feel it’s an thrilling alternative on the similar time. I consider it’s a really impactful contribution, each personally and for the corporate, to make AI computing extra sustainable.”
With M&A (no less than from Meta) off the desk, Paik declined to specify if the startup is now in pursuit of recent funding.
Nonetheless, Paik says this new partnership will result in enterprise prospects far past South Korea.
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“LG AI’s EXAONE is thought to be the main sovereign AI mannequin in South Korea. It received’t be used simply inside LG. It will likely be one of many fundamental AI fashions used within the Korean AI ecosystem. We anticipate there will likely be many calls for for this EXAONE, in addition to for our chip options in South Korea, however not solely in Korea. The LG group can also be partnering with and doing enterprise with international clients. So, we additionally anticipate this for use by these clients, together with international clients,” Paik stated.
LG AI’s choice to undertake Furiosa’s AI chip and accelerator is notable for an additional motive: it’s one of many few public endorsements of a rival to Nvidia by a significant enterprise, Paik stated. One main motive for the win is that the startup’s {hardware} prices much less.
“We needed to show that our resolution not solely delivers robust efficiency but additionally lowers complete price of possession,” Paik stated.
FuriosaAI claims that its RNGD accelerator outperformed aggressive GPUs with LG AI Analysis’s EXAONE fashions, delivering 2.25 occasions higher inference efficiency. Paik additionally says that LG discovered the FuriosaAI {hardware} was extra power effectivity.
Furiosa’s chip is just not a normal GPU however was constructed solely for AI. “We are able to help all kinds of AI fashions effectively. However not like GPUs, that are nonetheless basically general-purpose processors, our structure is natively constructed for AI computing. We don’t develop our chip for rendering or mining,” Paik stated.
The Seoul-based startup, which additionally operates an workplace in Santa Clara, has a world group of simply 15 workers.
