Tenstorrent's vision for the AI Revolution: Conversation with Chief CPU Architect Lien Wei-han

In a rapidly evolving technological landscape, the convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and hardware is reshaping how people perceive computing and its potential applications. Lien Wei-han, the chief CPU architect at Tenstorrent, an innovative Canadian AI startup that has the potential to challenge Nvidia, AMD, and Intel in AI chips and now building its AI servers, shared intriguing insights into the AI revolution and the role hardware plays in enabling it in an exclusive interview with DIGITIMES Asia (Link to full interview: Tenstorrent's vision for the AI Revolution: Conversation with Chief CPU Architect Lien Wei-han (digitimes.com)).

Lien Wei-han is a prominent figure in computer hardware architecture, renowned for his work as the lead architect of the M1 chip while working for tech giant Apple.

Lien discussed Tenstorrent's collaboration with BOS Semiconductors on automotive-grade integrated circuits (ICs), which is part of the Hyundai investment in Tenstorrent. This move aligns with their long-term vision of addressing the evolving automotive industry. Lien believes that future cars will resemble smart devices with wheels, where differentiation will come from AI-powered autonomous driving capabilities and power efficiency.

In the era of electric vehicles, the emphasis shifts from powertrain to autonomous driving systems as traditional engines become simplified and standardized. Power efficiency and AI capabilities will be essential for electric vehicles, making Tenstorrent's technology a natural fit for the automotive sector. Additionally, Tenstorrent's modular and scalable architecture enables them to address the computational needs of autonomous driving and robotics, extending the technology's application beyond cars.

Lien also envisions the future of smart mobility being enabled by AI by both inference and training, taking place both at the edge and in the cloud. Some car companies are already trying to build and implement that long-term strategy, in a vision to create a technological advantage that would differentiate themselves from other EV competitors with the help of Tenstorrent.

However, Lien highlighted the importance of functional safety in automotive AI, a critical consideration when designing chips for vehicles. Tenstorrent aims to work closely with partners to ensure that their chips meet the rigorous functional safety requirements of the automotive industry.