#102 SUNDAY EXCLUSIVE - Why China Is Making Big Investments in RISC-V To Counter US Export Controls On AI Chips?
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AI BYTE #1 📢: Why China Is Making Big Investments in RISC-V To Counter US Export Controls On AI Chips?
⭐ The global chip market, worth over half a trillion dollars, is dominated by a few players that use proprietary and closed Instruction Set Architectures (ISAs) to design their processors.
These ISAs, such as x86 and Arm, are subject to export controls and licensing fees that limit their availability and affordability for some customers, especially in China.
However, a new contender is emerging that could disrupt the chip industry and challenge the incumbents: RISC-V, an open-source and free ISA that anyone can use and modify.
RISC-V was developed by engineers at UC Berkeley and is now overseen by a foundation that promotes its adoption and development.
RISC-V offers several advantages over traditional ISAs.
First, it is free and open, meaning that users can save on license fees and avoid geopolitical restrictions.
Second, it is simple and elegant, allowing for greater flexibility and customization for different applications and needs.
Third, it is compatible with a wide range of applications, from artificial intelligence (AI) to cloud computing to smart cars.
China, in particular, has been investing heavily in RISC-V projects, as it seeks to reduce its dependence on Western technology and overcome the US sanctions that have hampered its access to advanced semiconductors and chip-making equipment.
According to a Reuters report, Beijing and dozens of Chinese state entities and research institutes have invested at least $50 million in RISC-V projects between 2018 and 2023. Some of the recent breakthroughs and applications of RISC-V in China include self-driving cars, AI models, data-storage centers, and military chips.
RISC-V is not yet a mature or mainstream technology, and it faces several challenges and limitations. It is still relatively new and lacks some of the features and support of the established ISAs. It also has not proven its performance and scalability in complex computing tasks.
A Little Bit About RISC-V, x86 and Arm
RISC-V, x86, and Arm are all Instruction Set Architectures (ISAs), but they have different characteristics and use cases:
RISC-V and Arm are based on Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) concepts. RISC architectures have simple instructions that can be executed in a single computer clock cycle. This simplicity allows for greater flexibility and customization for different applications and needs. However, completing a specific task often requires the execution of multiple instructions.
x86, used by Intel and AMD, employs Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC) designs. CISC computing seeks to complete a task in as few lines of code as possible. A single CISC instruction may take multiple computer clock cycles to complete, but it can perform a complex task that would require several instructions on a RISC processor.
In terms of business models, there are significant differences. Intel and AMD are based on proprietary IP, and the companies sell their products. Arm licenses its architecture to companies that can pay for it. RISC-V, on the other hand, is an open specification and platform. It is not an open-source processor, but open-source RISC-V cores are available, as well as commercially licensed cores.
It’s important to note that while RISC-V and Arm are competing against each other, they are also united in their desire to take market share away from x86.
However, the choice between RISC-V and Arm often comes down to differing philosophies about open source hardware and what’s best for the processor and computing industry.
Also RISC-V faces competition and resistance from the dominant players in the chip industry, who have vested interests in maintaining their market share and influence.
Apart from China, several other entities are also investing in RISC-V
RISC-V has the potential to revolutionize the chip industry and create new opportunities and innovations for chip designers and users. It also has the support of a growing and diverse ecosystem of companies, universities, and organizations that are contributing to its development and adoption.
Some of the notable examples are Nvidia, which announced that its SoCs will contain a RISC-V control processor, Andes Technology, which adopted RISC-V in its 64-bit architecture, and Intel, which partnered with RISC-V player SiFive for its foundry services.
Bosch GmbH, Infineon Technologies AG, Nordic Semiconductor, NXP Semiconductors, and Qualcomm Technologies have formed an alliance to promote the RISC-V architecture.
Hemisphere Ventures is a venture capital firm that has invested in RISC-V3.
SiFive, a RISC-V chip designer, raised $175 million at a $2.5 billion valuation. The investors include Coatue Management, Ibex Investors, Sutter Hill Ventures, SK hynix, Western Digital Capital, Qualcomm Ventures, Intel Capital, Osage University Partners, Spark Capital, Prosperity7 ventures, AMD (through Xilinx Ventures), and Samsung Ventures.
These investments indicate a growing interest in RISC-V’s open-source instruction set architecture, which could potentially transform the chip industry. It’s worth noting that the involvement of Qualcomm, one of the largest manufacturers of mobile chips based on the Arm architecture, is particularly noteworthy.
RISC-V is an open-source chip architecture that could reshape the global chip market and challenge the dominant incumbents. It offers lower costs, greater access, and more customization for chip designers and users, especially in China, which is betting on RISC-V to counter US export controls on chips.
However, RISC-V also faces several challenges and limitations, such as its relative novelty, lack of features and support, and competition and resistance from the established players. RISC-V is still a work in progress, but it has the potential to become a game changer for the chip industry and beyond.