TLDR: Meta Platforms Inc. has announced the acquisition of Rivos, a semiconductor startup specializing in custom AI chips. This strategic move aims to enhance Meta’s in-house artificial intelligence hardware capabilities, reduce its reliance on external chip suppliers like Nvidia, and optimize operational costs for its expanding AI infrastructure.
Meta Platforms Inc. officially announced on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, its agreement to acquire Rivos, a prominent chip startup. This acquisition marks a significant step in Meta’s aggressive push to fortify its artificial intelligence ambitions and gain greater control over its foundational AI infrastructure. The social media giant aims to accelerate the development of its custom AI chips, thereby reducing its substantial dependency on external suppliers, notably Nvidia, and managing the escalating costs associated with its vast data centers.
Rivos, a Silicon Valley-based semiconductor firm, has garnered considerable attention for its expertise in designing custom chips tailored for generative AI and data analytics workloads. The company’s technology leverages the open-source RISC-V architecture, focusing on high-performance GPUs and AI accelerators. Furthermore, Rivos brings a wealth of experience in building comprehensive full-stack AI systems, a capability Meta’s Vice President of Engineering, Yee Jiun Song, highlighted as crucial for accelerating Meta’s ongoing efforts.
This acquisition complements Meta’s existing internal chip development initiatives, including its ‘Meta Training and Inference Accelerator’ (MTIA) project. The MTIA, likely based on RISC-V, has already seen limited deployment within Meta’s data centers, working in conjunction with third-party GPUs. By integrating Rivos’s technology and talent, Meta expects to significantly expand and enhance its MTIA family of custom-built in-house chip accelerators.
Prior to the acquisition, Rivos had successfully raised over $250 million in funding from various investors and was reportedly seeking new funding at a valuation of approximately $2 billion in August. While the financial terms of the acquisition have not been publicly disclosed, the deal underscores Meta’s commitment to investing heavily in its AI roadmap. This strategic investment is part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s broader vision to position AI as Meta’s paramount objective, driving substantial expenditures in data centers and advanced research to maintain a competitive edge against industry rivals such as Google and OpenAI.
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In 2024, Rivos was involved in a legal dispute with Apple, which was subsequently settled. This acquisition is a clear indicator of Meta’s determination to bring more of its critical technology development in-house, ensuring greater efficiency, innovation, and cost control in the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence.
