Leading AI Chipmaker Setting Up Shop In Japan

Credit: Hailo

Hailo, a leading AI chipmaker is entering Japan to meet the demand for AI tech in the country and expand its presence in the Asia Pacific region. The expansion plan was set in motion after the company’s Series B funding round saw NEC, a former juggernaut in the PC space, inject $60 million to become a strategic investor.

There is a growing demand for AI in Japan, and as such local companies require better access to Hailo’s AI technology to develop their products more efficiently. Market segments that have seen the most growth include automotive, smart cities, smart retail, smart homes.

Besides NEC, Hailo has also established key partnerships with Socionext a provider of advanced SoC solutions for video and imaging systems, and Foxconn, the very people who manufacturer the iPhone for Apple. Hailo will be working with them to develop a next-generation AI processing solution for video analytics at the edge.

The Hailo-8, a deep learning chip is said to deliver up to 26 Tera Operations Per Second (TOPS). Its computing power allow edge devices to run sophisticated deep learning applications, previously reserved for powerful cloud computers. It is able to deliver higher performance, lower power, and minimal latency, attributes that are beneficial to smart devices.

Heading the Hailo’s Japanese arm is Hiro Uchida, a former Sony executive. The company hopes that his experience and in-depth knowledge will allow the company to build a bigger presence in Asia. Artificial Intelligence is starting to play a more prominent role in our daily lives, from our smart devices to analyzing business data for corporations, it can do it all.