FuriosaAI, a fiery new AI chip startup out of South Korea, has recently turned heads with a big partnership announcement. They will provide their advanced AI chip RNGD available to firms developing AI applications on LG’s EXAONE platform. This kind of collaborative partnership has proven to be a game changer for the ambitious startup. They just decided to remain independent rather than accept an $800 million takeover bid from Meta. Though FuriosaAI works around the world, it has a devoted philosophy to its South Korean team of 15 employees. Their office in Santa Clara, California is still going strong.
Unlike general-purpose graphics processing units (GPUs), the RNGD chip is purpose-built to realize the full potential of artificial intelligence applications. FuriosaAI’s hardware, according to LG AI Research, shows increased energy efficiency while being more economically efficient. This feature was key to building the partnership. Both companies share a commitment to building better AI that provides increased value at a lower cost for their customers.
EXAONE is the first and the largest sovereign AI model in South Korea. It will accelerate demand for the AI model and FuriosaAI’s chip-based solutions – further solidifying their core models of business. The agreement forms a basis for providing South Korean enterprises with tailored services. It proactively reaches out to pursue international business prospects.
“LG AI’s EXAONE is regarded as the leading sovereign AI model in South Korea. It won’t be used just within LG. It will be one of the main AI models used in the Korean AI ecosystem. We expect there will be many demands for this EXAONE, as well as for our chip solutions in South Korea, but not only in Korea. The LG team is also partnering with and doing business with global customers. So, we also expect this to be used by those customers, including global customers,” – Kate Paik, TechCrunch reporter.
FuriosaAI’s RNGD chip is designed for AI computing only, excluding uses like rendering or mining. It’s that unique specialization that gives the company the ability to hyper-optimize their hardware to support the broadest range of AI models.
“We can support a wide variety of AI models efficiently. But unlike GPUs, which are still fundamentally general-purpose processors, our architecture is natively built for AI computing. We do not develop our chip for rendering or mining,” – Paik stated.
The collaboration with LG AI Research will create opportunities for FuriosaAI outside of South Korea. By providing innovative chip solutions tailored for AI applications, the company anticipates expanding its reach and impact in the competitive tech market.
“We had to prove that our solution not only delivers strong performance but also lowers total cost of ownership,” Paik added.
As a company dedicated to sustainable innovation, FuriosaAI’s sustainability focus aligns perfectly with its goal of pioneering a new era for AI computing.
“We want to continue our mission, and I think it’s an exciting opportunity at the same time. I believe it’s a very impactful contribution, both personally and for the company, to make AI computing more sustainable,” – Paik concluded.