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Etched is building an AI chip that only runs one type of model | TechCrunch

Jun 25, 2024 - techcrunch.com
Etched, a two-year-old startup founded by Harvard dropouts, has developed a unique AI chip called Sohu that exclusively runs transformer models, the dominant generative AI model architecture. The chip is an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) and is claimed to deliver better inferencing performance than GPUs and other general-purpose AI chips while consuming less energy. Etched's CEO, Gavin Uberti, claims that Sohu is faster and cheaper than Nvidia’s next generation of Blackwell GB200 GPUs when running text, image, and video transformers.

Etched has recently raised $120 million in a Series A funding round co-led by Primary Venture Partners and Positive Sum Ventures, bringing its total funding to $125.36 million. The company plans to bring Sohu to mass market in the next few months and is optimistic about its potential, with Uberti stating that the future of AI technology will be shaped by whether the infrastructure can scale. Despite the competition and potential risks, Etched believes in its product's potential to revolutionize the AI chip market.

Key takeaways:

  • Etched, a startup founded by Harvard dropouts, has developed a unique AI chip called Sohu, which is designed to run only one type of model: transformers, the dominant generative AI model architecture.
  • Sohu is an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) and is claimed to deliver better inferencing performance than GPUs and other general-purpose AI chips while using less energy.
  • Etched has raised $120 million in a Series A funding round co-led by Primary Venture Partners and Positive Sum Ventures, bringing its total funding to $125.36 million.
  • Despite the competition and potential risks, Etched plans to bring Sohu to mass market in the next few months, with the launch of the Sohu Developer Cloud, an online interactive playground for customers to preview Sohu.
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