Silicon AnalyticaGlossary · Design/EDA
What is an ASIC (custom accelerator)?
An ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) is a chip designed for one particular task or customer. In AI, custom accelerators are ASICs that cloud companies develop, often with a chip design partner, to run their own workloads.
Why it matters for investors
Custom accelerators give large cloud companies an alternative or complement to merchant GPUs, potentially lowering cost for specific workloads. Design partners earn revenue from engineering services and chip sales.
These programmes are concentrated among a few large customers, so a design partner’s revenue can depend heavily on individual product cycles.
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General educational explanation. Information only, not investment advice.