- Leading mobile phone processor supplier Qualcomm Inc (NASDAQ:QCOM) looked to tap its energy efficiency expertise to break into the fast-growing market for the artificial intelligence chips used in data centers in 2019, the Information reports.
- Qualcomm wooed Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:FB) to make Facebook’s owner the flagship customer for Qualcomm’s first AI data center chip, the AI 100.
- After Qualcomm released the chip in the fall of 2020, Meta tested it against a range of alternatives, including the chips Meta has been using and a specialized chip Meta developed internally to handle AI computing work.
- Qualcomm’s chip performed well, posting the best performance per watt of electricity.
- However, by 2021 spring, Meta had declined to use Qualcomm’s chip.
- Meta questioned whether the software that accompanied the chip was mature enough to wring the best performance from the chip on future tasks.
- Meta decided to stick with its existing chips as it evaluated its options.
- Price Action: QCOM shares closed higher by 0.06% at $152.82 on the last check Thursday.
