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from the no-diving-in-the-shallow-learning-end dept.
http://www.nextplatform.com/2016/08/08/deep-learning-chip-upstart-set-take-gpus-task/
Bringing a new chip to market is no simple or cheap task, but as a new wave of specialized processors for targeted workloads brings fresh startup tales to bear, we are reminded again how risky such a business can be.
Of course, with high risk comes potential for great reward, that is, if a company is producing a chip that far outpaces general purpose processors for workloads that are high enough in number to validate the cost of design and production. The stand-by figure there is usually stated at around $50 million, but that is assuming a chip requires validation, testing, and configuration rounds to prove its ready to be plugged into a diverse array of systems. Of course, if one chooses to create and manufacture a chip and make it available only via a cloud offering or as an appliance, the economics change—shaving off more than a few million.
These sentiments are echoed by Naveen Rao, CEO of Nervana Systems, a deep learning startup that has put its $28 million in funding to the TSMC 28 nanometer test with a chip expected in Q1 of 2017. With a cloud-based deep learning business to keep customers, including Monsanto, on the hook for deep learning workloads crunched via their on-site, TitanX GPU cluster stacked with their own "Neon" software libraries for accelerated deep learning training and inference, the company has been focused on the potential for dramatic speedups via their stripped-down tensor-based architecture in the forthcoming Nervana Engine processor.
UPDATE: Intel bought the company for around $350 million to $408 million.
(Score: 2) by LoRdTAW on Wednesday August 10 2016, @05:07PM
So all it takes to make a shit load of money is to rehash an old idea and wait for a tech giant to buy it up.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday August 10 2016, @05:27PM
Or, the chip would have been so transformative that Intel bought the company to keep it off the market (without sporting an Intel sticker).
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(Score: 2) by LoRdTAW on Wednesday August 10 2016, @08:05PM
Could be. Though, it looks like it happened pretty fast for what I consider a small sum of money seeing as how Intel threw 16.7 billion at Altera. Most likely Intel sees a good investment and Mr. Rao is being given a prominent position at Intel.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday August 10 2016, @08:32PM
I agree. Also, The Next Platform is reporting: [nextplatform.com]
I assume "quite a bit higher" means substantially more than $408 million.
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