NXP Semiconductors has agreed a deal to buy US edge AI chipmaker Kinara for $307 million. Kinara specialises in energy-efficient neural processing units (NPUs). NXP said it will combine the firm’s edge NPUs and AI software more formally into its own industrial and IoT processors; the two already work together. They are pitching IoT and AI systems for the industrial and automotive markets. The is expected to close in the first half of the year.
Kinara’s NPUs, including the Ara-1 and Ara-2, rank well for performance and power efficiency. They are used for emerging AI applications in vision, voice, gesture, and a variety of other generative AI systems. Both enable mapping of inference graphs for on its proprietary neural processing units. Their programmability ensures adaptability as AI algorithms continue to evolve from CNNs to generative AI and new approaches such as agentic AI in the future.
Its NPUs and software deliver energy-efficient AI performance across a range of neural networks, including conventional AI, as well as generative AI. This includes in ‘tiny machine learning’ (tinyML) systems, miniaturised to run even on low-power IoT sensors. NXP said the deal will enhance its ability to provide “complete and scalable AI platforms” by bringing “discrete NPUs and robust AI software” to its portfolio of processors and other solutions.
Kinara’s first generation Ara-1 NPU is capable of advanced AI inferencing at the edge. Its second-generation Ara-2 NPU is capable of up to 40 tera operations per second (TOPS), and optimised for “system-level high performance for generative AI”. Both can be integrated with embedded systems to enhance their AI capabilities, including upgrading existing in-field systems. Kinara also provides a complete software development kit.
Its AI software portfolio includes extensive model libraries and model optimization tools, which will be integrated into NXP’s eIQ AI/ML software development environment to enable customers to quickly and easily create end-to-end AI systems. A statement said: “Together, the companies will create tighter integration of solutions to deliver scalable AI platforms for a variety of industrial and automotive AI inference needs.”
Rafael Sotomayor, executive vice president and general manager for secure connected edge at NXP, said: “The industrial market is going through a transformation, with new innovations like generative AI helping to deliver major improvements in efficiency, sustainability, safety and predictability, and in many instances, unlock new use cases and functionality. Adding Kinara’s AI capabilities to our… edge portfolio creates a scalable platform for new classes of AI-powered systems. We can help our customers simplify complexity and accelerate time to market as they create transformative AI systems.”
