Kakao expands partnerships with chipmakers

Tech

Published: 08 Mar. 2022, 18:05 Updated: 08 Mar. 2022, 18:09

Kakao expands partnerships with chipmakers

Kakao Enterprise signed an agreement with local semiconductor start-up FuriosaAI to conduct joint research on large-scale AI models and the metaverse. From left are: Koo Hyung-il, chief administrative officer of FuriosaAI; Kim Han-joon, chief technology officer of FuriosaAI; Paik June, CEO of FuriosaAI; Baek Sang-yeop, CEO of Kakao Enterprise; Lee Dong-woo, chief strategy officer of Kakao Enterprise; and Choi Dong-jin, chief AI officer of Kakao Enterprise. [KAKAO ENTERPRISE]

Kakao is expanding partnerships with semiconductor companies to advance its cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.

Kakao Enterprise, the Kakao subsidiary focusing on providing AI-based cloud services to companies, said Tuesday it has signed an agreement with local semiconductor start-up FuriosaAI to conduct joint research on large-scale AI models and the metaverse.

FuriosaAI designs high-performing AI chips. It introduced its first AI semiconductor, Warboy, last year.

AI semiconductors are referred to as neural processor units (NPU), which are similar to graphic processor units (GPU) but different in that they are specially designed to support visual AI programs, such as surveillance cameras or self-driving car sensors.

They are more compatible with cloud networks than existing GPUs and can help expand a cloud service’s storage capacity.

Kakao Enterprise will improve its cloud service and AI using FuriosaAI’s chips, and FuriosaAI will incorporate Kakao Enterprise's computer vision-related technologies into its chips.

Computer vision is an AI function that understands and interprets the meaning of images, both still and moving. Through computer vision, AI can analyze a video and extract meaning from it.

The two companies will also work to establish the foundations of a large-scale AI system. Being large — or hyperscale in the jargon of the industry — means that the AI system uses a huge amount of data of various types including images, text, speech and numerical data to provide more accurate results at a faster pace.

The large-scale AI model will be offered to other companies wanting to use Kakao’s technology to carry out their own AI businesses.

“AI and metaverse will become essential for future technologies,” said Paik June, CEO of FuriosaAI in a press release.

“We believe that the two companies, which are leading the local market and seeking to expand overseas, will build the computing infrastructure to become the foundations of next-generation platform services."

On Feb. 18, Kakao Enterprise also signed a deal with U.S. chipmaker Xilinx to optimize its cloud service, the Kakao i Cloud.

Xilinx is a chipmaker acquired by U.S. semiconductor manufacturer AMD last month.

It specializes in making integrated circuits that can be easily programmed to alter their configuration. This is optimal for cloud usage, as they do not need to be physically changed to be used for a different purpose. Xilinx is a leading company in this technology.

Using Xilinx’s technology, Kakao Enterprise will be able to cut its central processing unit workload by 50 percent, while at the same time increasing its application capabilities by 600 percent. The higher efficiency also means cutting energy use by half, according to Kakao Enterprise.

“We anticipate that the Kakao i Cloud technology will be used widely by companies in the fast-growing entertainment, metaverse and blockchain markets,” said Baek Sang-yeop, CEO of Kakao Enterprise, through a press release.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]