GlobalFoundries buys RISC-V chip firm MIPS to accelerate its AI ambitions - SiliconANGLE

Abstract

GlobalFoundries has acquired MIPS, the long-standing CPU architecture firm now focused on RISC-V IP, in a move aimed at accelerating its ambitions in the Artificial Intelligence market. This strategic purchase integrates MIPS's processor designs directly into GF's foundry ecosystem, allowing for optimized, application-specific chip development. The deal underscores the increasing importance of flexible, open-standard RISC-V architectures in powering next-generation AI silicon.

Report

Key Highlights

• Acquisition Target: GlobalFoundries (GF), a major semiconductor foundry, purchased MIPS.
• MIPS's Focus: MIPS had recently pivoted its entire strategy toward developing and licensing commercial RISC-V CPU cores and IP.
• Strategic Goal: The acquisition is specifically intended to accelerate GlobalFoundries' efforts and competitive standing in the rapidly growing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) markets.
• Vertical Integration: The move represents a significant vertical integration, combining MIPS’s specialized RISC-V design IP with GF's large-scale manufacturing capabilities.

Technical Details

• Core Technology: The transaction centers on MIPS's portfolio of RISC-V processor IP (Intellectual Property).
• Application Focus: The acquired technology is designed to enable the creation of highly optimized Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) targeted at AI acceleration and specialized computing workloads.
• Architectural Flexibility: The use of the open RISC-V architecture provides the flexibility required to deeply customize processor cores, necessary for achieving high performance and power efficiency in specific AI applications.

Implications

• Validation of RISC-V: The purchase by a Tier 1 foundry like GlobalFoundries provides massive commercial validation for the RISC-V instruction set architecture (ISA) as a serious competitor to proprietary architectures like ARM, especially in emerging fields like AI.
• Foundry Strategy Shift: This signals a growing trend where major foundries are seeking to control or own foundational IP to offer more comprehensive, optimized, and vertically integrated solutions to their customers, reducing reliance on third-party IP vendors.
• Market Competition: The integration of MIPS's robust and proven design pedigree within GF creates a strong new player in the custom silicon ecosystem, intensifying competition in the market for specialized embedded and edge computing processors.