Nvidia has entered into a licensing agreement for chip technology with artificial intelligence startup Groq, which will also see a number of key executives, including CEO Jonathan Ross, join the chipmaker. The announcement was made Wednesday in a blog post by Groq.
The arrangement between Nvidia and Groq includes a “non-exclusive” license for Groq’s core technology, according to the statement.
Groq, known for its focus on inference—the process where pre-trained AI models respond to user queries—represents an area where Nvidia faces heated competition. While Nvidia maintains a dominant position in the training of AI models, inference computing has attracted both established chipmakers like Advanced Micro Devices and emerging players such as Groq and Cerebras Systems.
Groq stated that its founder Jonathan Ross, formerly instrumental in Google’s AI chip initiative, along with company President Sunny Madra and additional engineers, will be joining Nvidia. The terms of the deal, including any financial specifics, were not disclosed by Groq.
Amidst reports from CNBC suggesting that Nvidia’s agreement equates to a $20 billion cash acquisition, both Nvidia and Groq have declined to comment. Groq reiterated in its official communication that it will remain an independent enterprise, appointing Simon Edwards as its new chief executive, while confirming that its cloud services business will continue unaffected.
