DeepComputing and Andes Technology Partner to Develop the World’s First RISC-V AI PC with 7nm QiLai SoC, Featuring Ubuntu Desktop

San Jose, CA — Oct 22, 2024DeepComputing, a pioneer in RISC-V innovation, today announced a strategic partnership with Andes Technology Corporation, a leading provider of high-efficiency, low-power 32/64-bit RISC-V processor cores. Together, the two companies collaborate to develop the world’s first RISC-V AI PC, powered by Andes’ 7nm QiLai SoC. This innovated low-power PC will come equipped with Ubuntu Desktop and aims to redefine AI computing by combining industry-leading hardware and software designed specifically for RISC-V.

The collaboration marks a significant milestone in the evolution of AI PCs, which utilize artificial intelligence to enhance productivity, creativity, entertainment, security, and more. The power-efficient RISC-V AI PC, based on the QiLai SoC, integrates a multi-core CPU, vector processor, GPU, and various peripherals for optimal performance, and AI workload handling. This product is designed to cater to developers and enterprises looking for advanced, open-standard RISC-V solutions.

Revolutionizing AI Computing with RISC-V and Andes Technology

The Andes QiLai SoC contains 2 Andes RISC-V processors: a high-performance quad-core  AX45MP cluster and an NX27V vector processor. The AX45MP superscalar multicore is optimized for Linux-based applications by configuring a 2MB Level-2 cache and a Memory Management Unit (MMU). The NX27V vector processor, with a 512-bit vector length and data path width, is specifically designed to handle AI workloads efficiently. Running at up to 2.2 GHz (AX45MP) and 1.5 GHz (NX27V), the QiLai SoC delivers high performance while maintaining low power consumption of approximately 5W at full speed. A configuration of the AX45MP is used in the Renesas RZ/Five MPU while two instances of the NX27V help construct the PE’s (Processing Elements) in the 8×8 PE array of the Meta Training and Inference Accelerator (MTIA).

“We are excited to work with DeepComputing and Canonical for this AI PC project based on our newly-introduced QiLai SoC.” said Frankwell Lin, Chairman and CEO of Andes. “The QiLai leverages TSMC’s 7nm process technology and underscores our commitment to supporting the expansion of the RISC-V ecosystem. As always, Andes continues its position as a pure-play IP provider, not entering the chip business. Andes welcome chip company considering to license QiLai as an SoC IP for production. This AI PC project will demonstrate the power of the RISC-V architecture for general application processing and AI acceleration, and provide a powerful RISC-V platform for application development and processor IP evaluation.”

The World’s First RISC-V AI PC

The RISC-V AI PC developed by DeepComputing and Andes will feature Ubuntu Desktop. In addition, there are a suite of tools and frameworks optimized for AI workloads, including the AndeSight™ toolchains, AndeSoft™ software stacks, and AndesAIRE™ NN SDK, which compiles AI/ML models to executables running on the NX27V vector processor.

The product represents a breakthrough in AI PC design, offering an open and modular approach that caters to the growing RISC-V developer community. Designed for a wide range of use cases, the RISC-V AI PC supports diverse AI-driven applications, from productivity and creativity to gaming and security.

Gordan Markuš, Director of Silicon Alliances at Canonical noted, “We are thrilled to collaborate with DeepComputing and Andes on this groundbreaking project. By equipping the world’s first RISC-V AI PC with Ubuntu Desktop, we’re not only offering a powerful development platform but also enabling a robust, open-source software ecosystem. This partnership will help accelerate the adoption of RISC-V technology and broaden the possibilities for developers and businesses working with AI at the edge.”

Expanding the RISC-V Ecosystem

By offering the world’s first RISC-V AI PC, DeepComputing and Andes aim to accelerate the development of RISC-V-based AI solutions and expand the reach of RISC-V in the broader computing landscape. This collaboration is driven by the growing demand for RISC-V platforms that enable fast software development, evaluation, and deployment.

“We’re excited to partner with Andes Technology on this innovative project,” said Yuning, CEO of DeepComputing. “This partnership aligns with our mission to push the boundaries of RISC-V technologies and provide developers with the tools and platforms they need to shape the future of AI computing.”

The RISC-V AI PC platform will be unveiled at the RISC-V Summit NA 2024, where it will be showcased at the DeepComputing booth. The product will be officially available in early 2025.

About Andes Technology

Nineteen years in business and a Founding Premier member of RISC-V International, Andes is publicly-listed company (TWSE: 6533SIN: US03420C2089ISIN: US03420C1099) and a leading supplier of high-performance/low-power 32/64-bit embedded processor IP solutions, and the driving force in taking RISC-V mainstream. Its V5 RISC-V CPU families range from tiny 32-bit cores to advanced 64-bit Out-of-Order processors with DSP, FPU, Vector, Linux, superscalar, functional safety and/or multi/many-core capabilities. By the end of 2023, the cumulative volume of Andes-Embedded™ SoCs has surpassed 14 billion. For more information, please visit https://www.andestech.com. Follow Andes on LinkedInFacebookXBilibili  and YouTube

About Canonical

Canonical, the publisher of Ubuntu, provides open source security, support and services. Their portfolio covers critical systems, from the smallest devices to the largest clouds, from the kernel to containers, from databases to AI. With customers that include top tech brands, emerging startups, governments and home users, Canonical delivers trusted open source for everyone. Learn more at https://canonical.com/.

About DeepComputing

Formed in 2022 by a group of dedicated RISC-V enthusiasts, DeepComputing is a pioneer in RISC-V innovation, leading the way in connecting developer communities, suppliers, tools and systems with the world of RISC-V. We are committed to advancing the adoption and implementation of RISC-V beyond existing ISA chipsets. Together with a diverse and dedicated array of partners, we are focused on driving development of the RISC-V ecosystem through our DeepComputing laptops, pads, workstations, AI speakers and routers, as well as our BravoMonster autonomous remote-control toys and real-world vehicles.

Continue ReadingDeepComputing and Andes Technology Partner to Develop the World’s First RISC-V AI PC with 7nm QiLai SoC, Featuring Ubuntu Desktop

Andes Announces the AndesCore™ 46-Series Family and the 3rd generation Vector Processor AX46MPV with Matrix Extension

Hsinchu, Taiwan – Oct 21, 2024 – Andes Technology, a leading supplier of high efficiency, low-power 32/64-bit RISC-V processor cores and Founding Premier member of RISC-V International, today announces the AndesCore™ 46-series processor family with 4 members. The first member, AX46MPV, a new 64-bit multicore superscalar vector processor IP, is the third generation of the award-winning Andes Vector core. While it maintains the same 8-stage dual-issue pipeline as its predecessor AX45MPV, it incorporates numerous new features such as dual load/store units, private L2 cache, an extended VLEN, Andes Matrix Multiply Extension, and RVA22 profile support. Except vector and matrix support, the second member, AX46MP, has the exact same features as the AX46MPV while the third member, A46MP, and fourth member, A46MPV, are the 32-bit versions of AX46MP and AX46MPV. This makes the 46-series ideal for network processors running Linux, high-performance embedded controllers requiring high memory throughput, and large-scale AI/ML applications.

The AX46MPV enhances SpecInt2006 performance by over 15% compared to the previous generation AX45MPV, thanks to its newly designed memory subsystem. The private L2 cache significantly reduces memory latency while the dual load/store engine eliminates memory bottlenecks in memory-bound computation kernels. It supports up to 16 cores in the same cluster, featuring cache coherence and a shared L3 cache with doubled capacity of the AX45MPV. Additionally, the AX46MPV provides TrustZone-level security with ePMP and IOPMP, accompanied by a pre-integrated software solution.

The AX46MPV introduces several enhancements for AI/ML, including longer 2048-bit vectors, new Andes Matrix Extensions to efficiently speed up GEMM performance, and greatly improved High-Bandwidth Vector Memory (HVM) interface supporting outstanding requests and out-of-order responses. A high-performance HVM controller serving up to 16 cores and DMA accesses with 64 memory banks is optional for licensing. The AX46MPV now also includes BF16 full arithmetic mode as a standard feature. Additionally, the award-winning Andes Automated Custom Extension™ (ACE) is available in the 46-series, featuring customized vector instructions (ACE_RVV) with enhanced pipeline and Streaming Port (ASP).  

“We are thrilled to introduce the 3rd generation of the Andes Vector series, further strengthening our leadership in the AI SoC market,” said Dr. Charlie Su, President and CTO of Andes Technology. “Our NX27V and AX45MPV have been highly successful in high-performance AI SoC applications. The AX46MPV, boosted with both compute performance and memory bandwidth, is intended to bring the new-generation AI SoCs to the next level of compute density. Additionally, with enhanced capabilities in Linux, security, and AIoT, the highly configurable 46-series is a well-rounded solution with balanced performance, power, and area”

The AndesCore™ 46-series processor IP’s, 64-bit AX46MP(V) and 32-bit A46MP(V), can be configured from one core up to 16 cores. It is to be available for lead customers in Q1 2025 through the early access program and for general customers in Q2 2025. For further information about the Andes 46 series and Vector processors, please contact Andes Technology.

About Andes Technology

Nineteen years in business and a founding premier member of RISC-V International, Andes is a publicly-listed company (TWSE: 6533SIN: US03420C2089ISIN: US03420C1099) and a leading supplier of high-performance/low-power 32/64-bit embedded processor IP solutions, and the driving force in taking RISC-V mainstream. Its V5 RISC-V CPU families range from tiny 32-bit cores to advanced 64-bit Out-of-Order processors with DSP, FPU, Vector, Linux, superscalar, functional safety and/or multi/many-core capabilities. By the end of 2023, the cumulative volume of Andes-Embedded™ SoCs has surpassed 14 billion. For more information, please visit https://www.andestech.comFollow Andes on LinkedInTwitterBilibili and YouTube!

Continue ReadingAndes Announces the AndesCore™ 46-Series Family and the 3rd generation Vector Processor AX46MPV with Matrix Extension