FuriosaAI Challenges Nvidia with New AI Chip in Competitive Semiconductor Market
South Korean semiconductor startup FuriosaAI is set to begin commercial production of its latest AI inference chip this month, directly challenging Nvidia's dominance in the AI computing market. Founded in 2017 by former Samsung engineer June Paik, the company focuses on the inference phase of AI operations—running trained models rather than training them.
Paik's pivot to AI came after a career-altering injury during a company soccer match. Months of rehabilitation led him to Stanford's online AI courses, cementing his conviction to enter the space. "I left with absolute certainty that I had to get into AI," Paik remarked. The RNGD chip (short for 'renegade') demonstrates particular efficiency with large AI models, though Nvidia's GPUs still control the broader market.
