U.S. Semiconductor Startup Quadric CEO: “Edge AI Will Grow Significantly in the Next Two to Three Years”
Quadric, a U.S. startup developing semiconductors for artificial intelligence (AI), announced in July that it had received an investment from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. The company aims to expand access to AI semiconductors in emerging markets and elsewhere. We spoke with Quadric Chief Executive Officer Veerbhan Kheterpal about the company's current business.
Leader's Voice
Quadric, a U.S. startup developing semiconductors for artificial intelligence (AI), announced in July that it had received an investment from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. The company aims to expand access to AI semiconductors in emerging markets and elsewhere. We spoke with Quadric Chief Executive Officer Veerbhan Kheterpal about the company's current business.
What is Quadric's strength?
"Among NPUs—neural processing units, semiconductors specialized for AI data processing—we license semiconductor companies products whose specifications can be readily modified. Rather than relying on the cloud, users can run AI inference directly on the chip embedded in a device such as a personal computer."
"The advantage of our NPU, the 'GPNPU,' is how easily its specifications can be changed. Products containing semiconductor chips remain on the market for five or even ten years. By contrast, new AI models emerge almost every week. Even when AI models change frequently, there is no need to redesign and manufacture a new chip."
What applications do you envision?
"Our target applications span a wide range of devices, including automobiles, printers, laptops, and cameras. In automobiles, software updates can continuously enhance vehicle safety while using fixed hardware."
"In Japan, Denso and Kyocera are our customers. Denso uses our technology for automotive applications, while Kyocera uses it in printers. We are also in discussions with prospective Japanese customers in robotics and cameras."
How do you see the market outlook for 'edge AI,' which runs on devices rather than in the cloud?
"Automotive and robotics are both markets with very significant room for growth. Edge AI has been discussed for about a decade, but it will grow substantially over the next two to three years."
Interviewer: Shuhei Ochiai, Translation by AI
Mr. Veerbhan Kheterpal has been involved in founding semiconductor software company Fabbrix, Inc. and cryptocurrency-related company 21 Inc. since the 2000s. He founded Quadric in 2016 and currently serves as its CEO.
Originally published by Nikkei. Read the original article.