Chinese chipmaker Hygon Information Technology on Tuesday launched a suite of central processing units (CPUs) for robotics and industrial edge devices, expanding beyond cloud computing and into the fast-growing market for physical artificial intelligence.
The firm unveiled its Hygon 1000 series processors, designed to be embedded into physical devices in industrial automation systems such as robotics and factory controllers, enabling computing and graphics processing to be handled locally.
Built on Hygon’s x86-compatible C86 architecture, the four-core, eight-thread CPU supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory.
The company said the chips, priced between US$40 and US$80, were its first CPUs with integrated graphics capabilities.
The Hygon 1000 series features the firm’s smallest chips to date, with a package size nearly half that of the 3450M processor introduced last year for laptops.
The launch of Hygon’s first embedded edge-computing chips underscores its push beyond data centres and into machines that interact directly with their physical environments.
“We are witnessing a clear trend of computing power moving from cloud-based systems to edge and device-based computing,” said Sha Chaoqun, CEO of Hygon, at the launch event in Shenzhen on Tuesday.
“AI will not only run in data centres, but will increasingly operate in the physical world, from factories and power stations to railway transport and medical devices.”
Unlike data centre processors that prioritise raw computing power, chips used in robotics and edge applications must meet strict requirements for real-time processing, low power consumption and security in unpredictable operating environments.
“The edge AI market is in the midst of an explosive growth,” said Huang Wei, general manager of Hygon’s Innovative Product Department, at a media briefing on Tuesday.
“The Hygon 1000 series targets the industrial-control market with embedded processors and addresses the growing integration of AI into industrial robotics and smart manufacturing.”
The new chips expand Hygon’s current portfolio of CPUs and deep computing units, a type of accelerator card designed specifically for AI workloads.
Hygon planned to release the next generation of the 1000 series in 2027, with computing performance doubling, according to Huang.
The Shanghai-listed chipmaker is playing an increasingly critical role in Beijing’s broader drive for semiconductor self-sufficiency amid US restrictions on China’s access to advanced chips.
Its current CPU product lines include the 7000 series for high-performance data centres, the 5000 series for mid-tier industry cloud and edge-computing customers, and the cost-focused 3000 series.
Hygon is one of China’s leading developers of x86-compatible CPUs. Variations of the x86 architecture, originally developed by US semiconductor giant Intel, remain the foundation of most servers, desktop computers and laptops.
The company’s first-half revenue rose 66.5 per cent to 9.1 billion yuan (US$1.4 billion) year on year, driven by strong demand for high-end domestic chips. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
