FuriosaAI, a South Korean AI chip startup, has entered a major partnership with LG AI Research. The company will supply its RNGD accelerator to support LG’s new EXAONE 4.0 platform.
The RNGD chip is specially designed for artificial intelligence tasks. It is built to enhance performance for large language models (LLMs). LG launched EXAONE 4.0 last week, calling it a hybrid AI model for advanced applications.
This partnership targets industries such as finance, electronics, telecom, and biotech. It is a key move to boost AI development across South Korea and beyond.
FuriosaAI’s deal with LG follows a reported $800 million acquisition offer from Meta, which the company rejected. Sources say the deal fell apart due to differences in post-acquisition planning, not price.
Meta had hoped to bring FuriosaAI onboard to reduce reliance on external chip suppliers like Nvidia. However, FuriosaAI chose to stay independent and continue its mission.
CEO June Paik said the company wants to make AI computing more efficient and sustainable. He added that the LG deal could help open doors to international markets.
According to Paik, EXAONE will not remain exclusive to LG. Other partners in South Korea and globally are expected to adopt it soon.
This partnership is one of the few times a major tech firm has publicly chosen a non-Nvidia solution for AI. Cost efficiency played a big role in LG’s decision.
FuriosaAI claims its RNGD chip delivers over twice the inference performance of similar GPUs. LG also reported improved energy savings using the chip.
Unlike general-purpose GPUs, the RNGD chip is built specifically for AI. It supports a wide range of models with better speed and efficiency.
FuriosaAI operates from Seoul and Santa Clara, with a team of just 15 employees. The company continues to rise in the global AI chip market.
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