Edge artificial intelligence chip startup Axelera AI B.V. today announced it’s now shipping its Metis AI Platform to customers in its early access program.

Founded in 2021 and backed by more than $50 million in funding, Axelera AI is the developer of specialized computer chip hardware that’s optimized to run AI software at the network edge, outside of primary data center locations. The startup believes its technology can make a big impact, enabling AI to run on connected devices such as internet of things systems and industrial robots.

Axelera’s chip is based on the RISC-V architecture and features an in-memory processing engine. Modern processors are comprised of logic circuits that perform computations and memory circuits designed to store the data on which those computations are carried out. With in-memory computing, the memory circuits are also used to process data, enabling faster performance than traditional chips are capable of.

The Metis AI Platform is said to be capable of 39.3 trillion computations per second, or 39.3 TOPS, under normal conditions. By increasing the chip’s clock frequency, Axelera says it’s possible to squeeze 48.16 TOPS of performance from it. Crucially, the Metis AI Platform is also extremely energy efficient compared to regular chips, making it more suitable for the connected devices it is targeting. Because so many edge devices are battery powered, they require processors that can run on limited power to extend their operating life.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Axelera’s Metis platform is the speed at which it was developed, with its first shipments going out to customers just eight months after it was taped out. Axelera AI co-founder and Chief Executive Fabrizio Del Maffeo (pictured) said being able to put a comprehensive hardware and software product into customer’s hands just 25 months after the company’s launch is a notable milestone. “Our customer’s demand for and faith in our technology is a strong endorsement of our dedication to providing industry-leading performance and usability, all at a fraction of the cost and power consumption of current market solutions,” he said.

The Metis AI chip is billed as a practical edge AI inference platform that will cater to companies building computer vision applications. An integrated hardware and software solution, it boasts simplified deployment and a user-friendly path to development and integration. Axelera AI said it’s available in various form factors, including standard PCIe cards, M.2 modules and vision-ready systems. Moreover, with prices starting at just $159, Axlera AI claims it is democratizing access to AI at the edge.

With all the buzz and hype around AI this year thanks to the success of OpenAI LP’s ChatGPT and other generative AI platforms, it’s no surprise that Axelera AI is attracting lots of interest. Following its Series A funding round in May, Axelera AI said more than 90 customers had requested a sample of its chip for testing, with more than 50 of those also signing up to its early access program.

Axelera AI plans to showcase the Metis AI Platform at the AI Hardware & Edge AI Summit that kicks off today in Santa Clara.

Photo: Axelera