Year in Review: Edge AI Knows No Boundaries

December 28, 2021 - Author: Mike Demler

In 2021, despite the chip shortage, the number of devices employing a deep-learning accelerator (DLA) continued to grow, driving AI far beyond the cloud to the so-called edge. Some carmakers had to temporarily halt production, but 90% of new cars still shipped with at least one advanced-driver-assistance-system (ADAS) feature powered by a DLA, comprising more than 60 million units. Smart speakers alone accounted for another 186 million units shipped, a 12% increase from the prior year. Because of the rapidly rising demand, no slowdown occurred in venture funding for edge-AI-chip startups, with several passing $1 billion in valuation to become “unicorns.”

Advances in DLAs allow inference in every device. General-purpose CPUs and GPUs are still the most popular cloud solution, but edge-AI processing comprises every type of processor, including coprocessors, battery-powered microcontrollers, SoCs with integrated DLAs, and edge-server plug-in cards. In 2021, established processor vendors and startups alike continued to introduce architectural innovations, whereas a number of young companies that unveiled their chips a year or two ago won designs that enabled them to start volume production.