A humanoid robot is on display at the booth of American chipmaker Nvidia during the 4th Supply Chain Expo held in China.
Johannes Neudecker | Picture Alliance | Getty Images
chip manufacturer Nvidia The company has entered into revenue-sharing agreements with fast-growing startups, where customers trade access to computing power for a cut of future profits.
The artificial intelligence chip leader said its new partnership program, announced Thursday, will provide fast-growing AI startups with token credits to accelerate their development. Cloud-based AI companies, model builders, and others will share both product and cloud revenue with Nvidia. Nvidia is positioning itself as an intermediary that helps startups gain direct access to full-stack computing powered by Nvidia chips.
In its announcement, Nvidia named its first two partners who will provide the computing power behind the plan. Australia-based Sharon AI plans to deploy up to 40,000 Nvidia GPUs, while Singaporean AI infrastructure company Firmus Technologies is building a data center on the Indonesian island of Batam that will be able to grow to 360 megawatts and accommodate up to 170,000 Nvidia GPUs.
Nvidia’s move shows how important access to scarce computing power is for AI-oriented startups, with GPUs being likened to oil and even reportedly tied into futures contracts as users grapple with issues around cost fluctuations and availability. Meanwhile, AI companies are increasingly entering into revenue and stock-sharing agreements with chipmakers to avoid the liquidity problems plaguing the sector.
OpenAI has entered into a number of deals to purchase stock or accept investments from partners. Amazon and AMDCNBC reported in January.
Nvidia announced earlier this month that it was seeking to raise debt, which sources said could amount to at least $20 billion. The company plans to use the proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including repaying and refinancing existing debt.
