Finance
SiFive to adopt Nvidia technology for speedy links between chips
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on January 15, 2026
SiFive Integrates Nvidia Technology for Enhanced Chip Connectivity
SiFive's Adoption of Nvidia Technology
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 15 Reuters) - SiFive, which makes blueprints for parts of complex chips, said on Thursday it will become the first maker of RISC-V chip designs to integrate Nvidia technology that creates speedy links between chips.
Overview of RISC-V and Nvidia's NVLink
Like SoftBank's Arm Holdings - an industry giant, SiFive provides customers with blueprints so that they can build their own full chip designs. RISC-V is an open-standard alternative to Arm's blueprints that has drawn fresh interest from companies like Alphabet's Google and Meta as more details have emerged about Arm's ambitions to become a chip designer in its own right.
Market Impact and Future Prospects
Nvidia's NVLink creates speedy links between central processing units (CPUs) and Nvidia's AI chips. Those links are essential in AI data centers where thousands of chips must be strung together to process huge amounts of data seamlessly.
SiFive CEO Patrick Little said SiFive chip designs with the technology will not likely hit the market until 2027 or later. But when they do, customers will be able to connect a RISC-V CPU to Nvidia's leading AI chips with the same speeds as CPUs that use Intel or Arm technology.
"This is a multi-generational commitment from both companies to get to work on this and offer the best NVLink solution, generation after generation after generation," he told Reuters in an interview.
Nvidia and SiFive did not disclose financial terms of the deal.
(Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
Frequently Asked Questions about SiFive to adopt Nvidia technology for speedy links between chips
1What is RISC-V?
RISC-V is an open-standard instruction set architecture that allows companies to design their own processors. It serves as an alternative to proprietary architectures like Arm.
2What is a chip design?
A chip design refers to the blueprint or plan for creating integrated circuits, which are essential components in electronic devices, enabling them to perform various functions.
3What is the significance of AI data centers?
AI data centers are facilities designed to support artificial intelligence workloads, requiring high-performance computing resources to process large amounts of data efficiently.
4What is a multi-generational commitment in technology?
A multi-generational commitment in technology refers to a long-term partnership or investment strategy aimed at developing and improving technology solutions over several generations.
