Asustek Computer Inc (華碩) yesterday launched its first high-speed artificial intelligence (AI) platform to help 5G application developers accelerate program development and product readiness by adopting Intel Corp’s development tools.
Leveraging the infrastructure and a laboratory built by Asusek for the platform, software vendors would be able to develop and validate their applications easily and reduce the time needed to enter the market, Asustek said.
The platform is to operate on a private 5G network built by Taiwan Mobile Co (台灣大哥大), after the National Communications Commission last month established rules regulating the nation’s 5G private network deployment.
Photo: CNA
The rules would also pave the way for the release of new bandwidth totaling 100 megahertz for 5G private network deployment.
“The platform aims to solve pain points for start-ups, including a lack of strong computing power and high-speed 5G networks,” Asustek chief operating officer Joe Hsieh (謝明傑) told a media briefing in New Taipei City’s Tamsui District (淡水).
With supercomputers installed in the “5G AI Ready Platform,” application developers can save a large amount of time, Heish said.
It takes only four hours to come up with a data analysis model, compared with four months previously, Hsieh said.
About 100 customers are using the platform’s AI feature to develop new applications for different industries, including smart manufacturing, smart cities, smart retail and hospitals, Hsieh said.
Besides, Asustek will not rule out the possibility of investing in the startups using the platform, he said.
He expects the demand for this platform to gain traction next year, or in 2024.
Intel believes its technological capabilities lie not only in hardware, as software-oriented Intel FlexRAN and Intel oneAPI, as well as the OpenVINO toolkit would enable developers to have a common software platform where they can build their solutions, Intel general manager of Asia-Pacific and Japan region Steven Long said.
“This platform is to bring tremendous benefits to users and soft vendors so that they can easily develop, validate and deploy in greater efficiency and readiness,” Long said.
“I believe it will play a crucial role in taking Taiwan’s digital transformation forward,” he said.
Commenting on Intel’s partnerships with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) and MediaTek Inc (聯發科), Long said the chipmaker has formed multiple-facet partnerships with the companies, which it would expand.
He declined to comment on whether he would visit MediaTek.
MediaTek has announced a foundry partnership with Intel on mature note technology for TV and Wi-Fi chips.
Long said Taiwan is the heart of the electronics industry, as 85 percent of PCs, 90 percent of servers and more than one-third of Internet of Things devices are made in Taiwan.
“My job is to harvest that and grow it across the world at Intel’s scales,” Long said. “If COVID restrictions continue to ease, I’ll be here at least once a month. That’s how important Taiwan is to the region.”
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) yesterday said that its research institute has launched its first advanced artificial intelligence (AI) large language model (LLM) using traditional Chinese, with technology assistance from Nvidia Corp. Hon Hai, also known as Foxconn Technology Group (富士康科技集團), said the LLM, FoxBrain, is expected to improve its data analysis capabilities for smart manufacturing, and electric vehicle and smart city development. An LLM is a type of AI trained on vast amounts of text data and uses deep learning techniques, particularly neural networks, to process and generate language. They are essential for building and improving AI-powered servers. Nvidia provided assistance
DOMESTIC SUPPLY: The probe comes as Donald Trump has called for the repeal of the US$52.7 billion CHIPS and Science Act, which the US Congress passed in 2022 The Office of the US Trade Representative is to hold a hearing tomorrow into older Chinese-made “legacy” semiconductors that could heap more US tariffs on chips from China that power everyday goods from cars to washing machines to telecoms equipment. The probe, which began during former US president Joe Biden’s tenure in December last year, aims to protect US and other semiconductor producers from China’s massive state-driven buildup of domestic chip supply. A 50 percent US tariff on Chinese semiconductors began on Jan. 1. Legacy chips use older manufacturing processes introduced more than a decade ago and are often far simpler than
STILL HOPEFUL: Delayed payment of NT$5.35 billion from an Indian server client sent its earnings plunging last year, but the firm expects a gradual pickup ahead Asustek Computer Inc (華碩), the world’s No. 5 PC vendor, yesterday reported an 87 percent slump in net profit for last year, dragged by a massive overdue payment from an Indian cloud service provider. The Indian customer has delayed payment totaling NT$5.35 billion (US$162.7 million), Asustek chief financial officer Nick Wu (吳長榮) told an online earnings conference. Asustek shipped servers to India between April and June last year. The customer told Asustek that it is launching multiple fundraising projects and expected to repay the debt in the short term, Wu said. The Indian customer accounted for less than 10 percent to Asustek’s
Gasoline and diesel prices this week are to decrease NT$0.5 and NT$1 per liter respectively as international crude prices continued to fall last week, CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) and Formosa Petrochemical Corp (台塑石化) said yesterday. Effective today, gasoline prices at CPC and Formosa stations are to decrease to NT$29.2, NT$30.7 and NT$32.7 per liter for 92, 95 and 98-octane unleaded gasoline respectively, while premium diesel is to cost NT$27.9 per liter at CPC stations and NT$27.7 at Formosa pumps, the companies said in separate statements. Global crude oil prices dropped last week after the eight OPEC+ members said they would