DifferAI and US-based Epynix Jointly Develop World's First 'AI SoC + FPGA Single Chip'

From the left, Epynix Ikuo Nakanishi, Vice President of Sales, and DifferAI CEO Lee Sangheon. Provided by DifferAI

DifferAI, a specialized AI semiconductor company, is teaming up with Efinix, a leading US FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) semiconductor company, to jointly develop the world's first AI SoC (System on Chip) and FPGA SiP (System in Package) technology, aiming to capture the global market.

On the 1st, DifferAI announced that on the 26th, it signed a joint development contract and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for global commercialization collaboration with Efinix at its headquarters in Seoul. The signing ceremony was attended by DifferAI’s CEO and key officials from Efinix.

Founded in 2012 in Cupertino, California, Efinix is an FPGA semiconductor specialist that supplies FPGA products based on its proprietary ‘Quantum’ architecture and related software worldwide.

DifferAI has already successfully commercialized the ‘Tachy-Shield’ product using Efinix’s FPGA series. Through this agreement, the two companies plan to jointly develop a globally competitive SoC solution that integrates AI and FPGA, and to promote strategic technological cooperation and joint entry into overseas markets.

In particular, DifferAI plans to apply die-to-die technology that combines AI dies inside FPGA chip pins using its X2X chip-to-chip communication technology, enabling a single-package one-chip solution.

This innovative technology surpasses the limitations of existing edge AI semiconductors by combining the flexibility of FPGA, which allows user-customized redesign, with AI computing functions, presenting a new market paradigm with both design flexibility and scalability.

With this agreement, DifferAI is targeting the rapidly growing edge AI semiconductor market across various industries such as automotive, robotics, smart factories, security, and smart cities. According to market research firm QYResearch, the global edge AI semiconductor market is expected to grow from $2.7 billion in 2023 to $8.1 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 16.5%.

Lee Sangheon, CEO of DifferAI, said, “This agreement is part of our strategy to secure leading global technology through the convergence of FPGA and AI semiconductor technologies. We will strengthen our global competitiveness based on DifferAI’s unique technology in the rapidly growing edge AI semiconductor market.”

In March, DifferAI participated in MWC 2025 held in Barcelona, Spain, showcasing lightweight deep learning-based edge AI inference solutions, rapidly expanding its presence in the global AI semiconductor market.

Meanwhile, Efinix, DifferAI’s strategic partner, has formed partnerships with various leading companies worldwide to expand the global FPGA ecosystem. Notable partners include CAST (USA), Hitachi Industry & Control Solutions (Japan), Fidus Systems (Canada), and Solectrix (Germany), with whom they provide various industry-customized FPGA solutions.