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

San Jose, CA — Oct 222024 — DeepComputing, 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 are collaborating to develop the world’s first RISC-V AI PC, powered by Andes’ 7nm QiLai SoC. This updated energy-efficient PC will be 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 major milestone in the evolution of AI PCs, which use artificial intelligence to improve productivity, creativity, entertainment, security and more. The energy-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 for 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 powerful 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 vector length and data path width of 512 bits, is specifically designed to handle AI workloads efficiently. The QiLai SoC runs at up to 2.2 GHz (AX45MP) and 1.5 GHz (NX27V) and delivers high performance while maintaining low power consumption of approximately 5 W at full speed. A configuration of the AX45MP is used in the Renesas RZ/Five MPU, while two copies of the NX27V help construct the PEs (Processing Elements) in the 8×8 PE array of the Meta Training and Inference Accelerator (MTIA) .

“We are excited to collaborate with DeepComputing and Canonical on 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 underlines our commitment to supporting the expansion of the RISC-V ecosystem. As always, Andes maintains its position as a pure-play IP provider and is not getting into the chip business. Andes welcomes chip company considering licensing QiLai as SoC IP for manufacturing. This AI PC project will demonstrate the power of the RISC-V architecture for general-purpose 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 is 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 into 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. The RISC-V AI PC is designed for a wide range of use cases and supports various AI-powered applications, from productivity and creativity to gaming and security.

Gordan Markuš, Director of Silicon Alliances at Canonical commented: “We are pleased to be working with DeepComputing and Andes on this groundbreaking project. By equipping the world’s first RISC-V AI PC with Ubuntu Desktop, we not only provide a powerful development platform, but we also enable a robust, open-source software ecosystem. This partnership will help accelerate the adoption of RISC-V technology and broaden the options for developers and companies working with AI at the edge.”

Expansion of 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 RISC-V’s reach across the broader computing landscape. This collaboration is driven by the growing demand for RISC-V platforms that enable rapid software development, evaluation and deployment.

“We are excited to collaborate with Andes Technology on this innovative project,” said Yuning, CEO of Deep Computing. “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 AFTER 2024where it will be showcased at the DeepComputing booth. The product will be officially available in early 2025.

About Andean technology

With nineteen years of experience and a Founding Premier Member of RISC-V International, Andes is a publicly traded company (TWSE: 6533; SIN: US03420C2089; ISIN: US03420C1099) and a leading supplier of high-performance/low-power 32/64-bit embedded processor IP solutions, and the driving force behind RISC-V becoming mainstream. The V5 RISC-V CPU families range from small 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 will exceed 14 billion. For more information, visit https://www.andestech.com. Follow Andes on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Bilibili and YouTube!

About Canonical

Canonical, the publisher of Ubuntu, offers 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 including top technology brands, emerging startups, governments and home users, Canonical delivers trusted open source for everyone. For more information, visit https://canonical.com/.

About Deep Computing

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