SiFive, Inc. today announced that Tenstorrent, an AI semiconductor and software start-up developing next-generation computers, will license the new SiFive Intelligence X280 processor in its AI training and inference processor. SiFive will deliver more details of its SiFive Intelligence initiative including the SiFive Intelligence X280 processor at the Linley Spring Processor Conference on April 23rd.
Tenstorrent’s novel approach to inference and training effectively and efficiently accommodates the exponential growth in the size of machine learning models while offering best-in-class performance.
“The Tenstorrent architecture addresses the growing demands that come with data-written code as part of Software 2.0,” said Jim Keller, President and CTO, Tenstorrent. “We’re excited to partner with SiFive because of their ability to deliver CPUs and software for the modern RISC-V ecosystem.”
The combination of Tenstorrent’s Tensix processing cores alongside the SiFive Intelligence X280 processor reflects the growing trend of heterogeneous multi-core compute to stay ahead of the requirements of next-generation AI workloads.
“SiFive Intelligence is a new initiative dedicated to bringing cutting-edge software and hardware technologies to those looking to innovate in the AI market,” said Chris Lattner, President of Engineering and Product at SiFive. “Tenstorrent, with its team of industry leaders and an already impressive track record of silicon success, is an ideal partner for SiFive’s new products targeted at machine learning applications.”
SiFive’s newest processor, the SiFive Intelligence X280, is a 64-bit, multi-core capable RISC-V-based processor with fully integrated RISC-V Vector extension (RVV) support. The SiFive Intelligence X280 processor features SiFive Intelligence Extensions, a comprehensive suite of vector instructions specifically designed to accelerate modern machine learning workloads.