Arm Extends Licensing to enable Companies to Develop AI-on-Device

Arm extended its Flexible Access licensing program to cover its Armv9 edge AI platform. The company stated that it gives companies across the ecosystem easier access and a low-cost route to develop on-device AI offerings.

Paul Williamson, SVP and GM for IoT Business at Arm, explained that the company is committed to making its technology more accessible to every company, in particular OEMs and start-ups, by lowering barriers to entry while accelerating time to market. The Armv9 edge AI platform was introduced earlier this year and features the Arm Cortex-A320 CPU and Arm Ethos-U85 NPU to enable on-device AI models with 1 billion parameters, alongside advanced security technologies. 

Williamson said the combination delivers a powerful foundation for next-generation edge AI applications, such as smart cameras, smart home applications, industrial automation, and advanced human-machine interfaces, enabling more natural interactions through vision, voice, and gesture. The executive added that machines can perceive and respond like humans, while keeping inference and data processing on-device. “Arm’s mission has always been to democratise access to world-leading technology and put innovation in the hands of everyone in our ecosystem,” added Williamson.

Arm’s Flexible Access licensing program allows companies to use its chip design resources and training at little to no cost, with the model enabling companies to experiment with designs freely. Companies only pay license fees for the technology when they are in final designs, and the initiative has helped to develop edge AI technologies from partners, including Raspberry Pi and Hailo. Currently, 300 members are participating in the program.