GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc. said on the 4th that it completed the acquisition of Synopsys's ARC processor IP business unit on the 2nd (local time). The acquired business unit will be integrated into GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.'s subsidiary MIPS.
GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc. said the acquisition allows it to complete a physical artificial intelligence (AI) platform by combining RISC-V–based processor IP, software tools, and semiconductor design and manufacturing capabilities.
MIPS Chief Executive Officer Samir Wasson said, "GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc. will provide the software, IP, and custom silicon capabilities customers need to develop differentiated application‑specific solutions across automotive, industrial Robotics, and embedded systems," adding, "We will expand our role as an integrated technology partner that collaborates with customers throughout the entire design cycle."
Recently, the AI industry has been expanding from data center–centric to the realm of physical AI that operates in physical environments such as self‑driving cars, industrial robots, and smart factories. As these systems sense, decide, operate, and communicate in real time even under limited power and latency conditions, semiconductor design is becoming increasingly important.
Thomas Schneider, vice president of the automotive software and ecosystem institutional sector at Infineon Technologies AG, said, "As automotive and industrial systems shift further to real‑time AI‑based approaches, the industry urgently needs a technology partner that can integrate standards‑based IP and optimized silicon designs at scale while ensuring the supply stability the market demands," adding, "GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.'s manufacturing capabilities, combined with MIPS and ARC processor IP, provide a powerful end‑to‑end foundation for customers to develop next‑generation intelligent systems based on low‑power solutions."
With this acquisition, MIPS has assembled a processor IP portfolio that spans from high performance to ultra‑low power products. According to the company, the business operates on the basis of more than 150 patents and roughly 300 customers.
GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc. also secured the "ASIP Designer" tool, which helps customers design processors tailored to specific uses, and the "ASIP Programmer" tool, which supports software development for those processors, through the acquisition. GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc. said it will combine these with design support, custom silicon development capabilities, and advanced software tools.