TLDR: South Korean AI semiconductor firm DeepX has officially partnered with Chinese tech giant Baidu to accelerate the deployment of on-device AI solutions globally, leveraging DeepX’s low-power AI chips with Baidu’s PaddlePaddle deep learning framework and ERNIE large models. The collaboration aims to enhance AI capabilities in drones, robotics, and optical character recognition, focusing on efficient edge computing for industrial applications.
SEOUL, South Korea – In a significant move set to reshape the landscape of global artificial intelligence, South Korean AI semiconductor company DeepX has announced a strategic partnership with Chinese technology leader Baidu. The collaboration, formalized through a ‘PaddlePaddle Technology Ecosystem Partnership’ agreement, aims to accelerate the integration and deployment of on-device AI solutions across various industrial sectors worldwide.
DeepX, founded in 2018 and headquartered in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, is renowned for its high-performance, low-power AI semiconductors and computing solutions. The company boasts a portfolio of 370 patents and has been recognized by ‘EE Times’ as a ‘Silicon Valley 100’ enterprise, in addition to receiving multiple CES 2024 Innovation Awards.
The core of this partnership lies in combining DeepX’s cutting-edge hardware with Baidu’s robust AI software ecosystem. DeepX will provide powerful edge computing capabilities through its AI semiconductor technology, notably its DX-M1 chip, to enhance Baidu’s open-source deep learning framework, PaddlePaddle, and its ERNIE large language models.
Lokwon Kim, CEO of DeepX, emphasized the strategic importance of this alliance, stating, ‘Our partnership with Baidu marks an important turning point in the rapid spread of DeepX’s AI semiconductor technology to global industrial sites. We will strengthen our competitiveness in the global AI market through practical productization based on the PaddlePaddle and ERNIE Ecosystem and various industrial collaborations.’
Baidu’s PaddlePaddle, China’s first open-source deep learning framework, is a full-stack AI platform supporting the entire process from AI model development to deployment. It is widely adopted across industries such as smart cities, autonomous driving, image recognition, and speech processing.
A key achievement of this collaboration is the successful adaptation of DeepX’s DX-M1 chip with Baidu’s fifth-generation PP-OCRv5 model. The DX-M1 chip, built on a 5nm process technology and featuring a PCIe Gen3 M.2 M-Key interface, delivers up to 25 TOPS (Tera Operations Per Second) of computing performance. It excels in high accuracy, low power consumption, and low temperature operation. Demonstrations have shown the DX-M1 processing multi-channel video data (over 16 channels) at more than 30 frames per second (FPS) in real-time, while simultaneously handling multiple AI algorithms like text recognition and layout analysis.
Comparative testing against GPUs (e.g., NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti) revealed that the DX-M1 achieved superior FPS and power efficiency, particularly crucial for edge industrial PCs with limited battery resources, all while maintaining higher model recognition accuracy. This means devices can ‘see faster, clearer, and last longer’ in applications such as factory inspections, equipment monitoring, and document processing.
The partnership extends beyond OCR, with plans to integrate DeepX’s technology into drones and embodied AI. DeepX is also actively validating its low-power chips with PaddleX’s full range of visual models, including object detection, classification, and image segmentation, aiming to provide efficient and intelligent DIY visual solutions for industry users.
Looking ahead, DeepX’s next-generation AI chip, the 2nm-based ‘DX-M2,’ is already undergoing validation with Baidu’s open-source ERNIE-4.5-VL-28B-A3B model. Initial tests indicate that the ERNIE-4.5 series models can run stably at extremely low power while maintaining high accuracy, paving the way for further innovation in edge AI combined with lightweight large models.
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This strategic alliance underscores a shared vision to democratize AI technology by making it more accessible and efficient for a broader range of industrial applications globally.
