What’s on tap from RISC-V in 2025? - Jon Peddie

Abstract

The analysis by Jon Peddie forecasts the significant technological advancements and market shifts anticipated within the RISC-V ecosystem through 2025. The article highlights the architecture's accelerated push into mainstream computing, moving beyond embedded systems into high-performance computing, data centers, and advanced AI/ML acceleration. Predictions suggest 2025 will be a pivotal year marked by greater commercial maturity, key IP releases, and broader industry acceptance challenging established proprietary Instruction Set Architectures (ISAs).

Report

Key Highlights

• Mainstream Acceleration: 2025 is projected as the inflection point where RISC-V transitions from niche embedded use cases to widespread adoption in general-purpose computing and enterprise environments.
• High-Performance Focus: A significant push is expected in developing high-performance, complex core designs suitable for desktop computing and server infrastructure, directly competing with high-end proprietary cores.
• AI and ML Integration: The ecosystem is set to prioritize specialized acceleration hardware (NPUs) built around the RISC-V ISA, optimizing custom chips for demanding edge AI and large language model (LLM) inference workloads.
• Commercial Maturity: Increased activity from established commercial IP vendors (e.g., SiFive, Ventana) and greater investment from large semiconductor players confirm the industrialization of the RISC-V supply chain.

Technical Details

• Vector Extension Ratification: The full maturation and broad adoption of the RISC-V Vector Extension (RVV) V1.0 is expected to drive performance critical applications, particularly in scientific computing and multimedia processing.
• Advanced Extension Integration: Focus will be placed on standardizing and deploying extensions crucial for complex OS environments, such as the Hypervisor (H) extension and improved management of specialized memory attributes (like cache-coherence protocols).
• Custom SoC Design: The open nature of the ISA facilitates rapid development of specialized System-on-Chips (SoCs), enabling vendors to design silicon tailored exactly for proprietary algorithms, leading to highly optimized power and performance metrics.
• Toolchain Development: Continued investment is required in robust, production-ready toolchains, compilers, and debugging environments to support sophisticated multi-core and asymmetric processing systems.

Implications

• Democratization of Silicon: RISC-V's open standard continues to lower the barrier to entry for new chip designers and smaller firms, fostering an environment of rapid, decentralized innovation.
• Competitive Pressure: The increasing performance and commercial viability of RISC-V cores place direct competitive pressure on existing proprietary ISAs, potentially driving down licensing costs across the industry.
• Supply Chain Resilience: Geographic diversification and the open standard offer companies greater control over their core IP, reducing reliance on single-source geopolitical supply chains.
• Faster Customization Cycles: The modular nature of the architecture allows companies to incorporate new technical extensions quickly, resulting in faster time-to-market for highly specialized computing solutions, particularly in rapidly evolving fields like autonomous vehicles and quantum computing control.