Chips&Media is accelerating the development of a high-definition video-specialized AI semiconductor NPU.
Chips&Media, a semiconductor IP (Intellectual Property) specialist company led by CEO Kim Sang-hyun, officially announced on the 28th the in-house development of a high-definition video-dedicated NPU. An NPU (Neural Processing Unit) is an AI semiconductor optimized for the era of massive AI, boasting computational speeds 10 times faster than NVIDIA’s GPUs and power consumption at about one-fifth, making it a core next-generation semiconductor.
The video-specialized NPU currently under development by Chips&Media will apply various AI-based video processing algorithms such as Super Resolution (SR) for high-definition video processing. In particular, it is a processor IP capable of running AI algorithm functions like SR, Noise Reduction (NR), and Object Detection (OD) all on the same hardware.
Implemented at about 10-20% of the size of existing NPUs, it is expected to be an excellent video-specialized solution in the AI semiconductor industry, not only in terms of performance but also cost reduction.
Chips&Media’s SR IP is a specialized technology that does not simply enlarge low-resolution images but uses deep learning-based algorithms to render videos below 8K in high quality on 8K TVs. Since its first sales in 2020, it has been a proven AI semiconductor IP licensed for three consecutive years.
In fact, Chips&Media’s video IP has expanded into front-end industries such as mobile, home appliances, and automotive, and continues to generate license sales from global big tech companies for server GPUs in data centers, edge NPUs, and semiconductors for autonomous vehicles. If the development of a high-definition video-specialized NPU optimized for AI algorithm processing succeeds, rapid market capture is expected.
Chips&Media aims to accelerate NPU development targeting data centers with high demand for FHD and UHD or higher resolution video content analysis, as well as the autonomous driving and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) industry ecosystems requiring advanced real-time video processing technologies, with license sales planned for 2024.
Kim Sang-hyun, CEO of Chips&Media, stated, “With the recent intensification of competition in massive AI technologies such as ChatGPT and the proportion of video content in data centers approaching 80%, the development of video-specialized NPUs will become a key growth engine for future semiconductors.” He added, “We will continue to accelerate growth as a leading system semiconductor company that can replace CPUs and GPUs by diversifying NPU products in line with the latest technologies and market trends.”
Meanwhile, Chips&Media, established in 2003, is a semiconductor IP specialist company focusing on video IP business responsible for video processing. Its core product, video IP, is designed with a hybrid hardware and software structure, boasting industry-leading performance capable of processing high-resolution video at high speed with low power consumption. The company is also pursuing the development of a high-definition video-specialized NPU. Major revenues are divided into license sales generated at the time of IP supply and royalty sales received when customers produce and sell semiconductors using the IP. Based on world-class video IP technology, Chips&Media has over 150 domestic and international clients, an export ratio exceeding 90%, and a stable license and royalty revenue base, achieving high profitability in the 30% range, drawing attention as a technology-intensive small and medium-sized enterprise in the system semiconductor industry.
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