Summary
- Raspberry Pi partners with Sony Semiconductor Solutions to enhance AI capabilities.
- The collaboration provides Raspberry Pi users access to Sony's AITRIOS platform for visual sensing applications.
- The partnership aims to teach kids about modern computing and support advancements in machine learning.
Get ready for some exciting AI action, because Raspberry Pi just teamed up with Sony's semiconductor unit! This collaboration is all about leveling up Raspberry Pi's artificial intelligence game, and honestly, we're here for it.
So, what's the deal? Sony Semiconductor Solutions, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation, invested an undisclosed amount in Raspberry Pi Ltd, the trading company of Raspberry Pi. The funding came in at the same $500 million valuation as the company's 2021 funding round, which brought in $45 million.
Founded in 2012 by Eben Upton, Raspberry Pi aimed to make computing more accessible to young people. The credit card-sized single-board computers have since been used for everything from high-altitude balloons to tiny radio-controlled submarines. Initially popular among hobbyists and teachers, the company now sees roughly 70% of its sales come from commercial customers embedding its products into factories or consumer devices.
The deal expands the existing manufacturing relationship between Sony and Raspberry Pi, and will grant Raspberry Pi users and developers access to Sony's AITRIOS platform. This means they can develop visual sensing applications using AI cameras equipped with Sony's IMX500 imaging sensors.
Upton says this collaboration will help teach kids about modern computers, rather than outdated technology. Raspberry Pi products are already being used for machine learning applications, and the partnership with Sony will enable even more advancements in the field.
This news comes amidst huge hype for the AI industry, with AI chatbots like ChatGPT from OpenAI gaining over 100 million monthly users since its launch. While some concerns about AI becoming too powerful and displacing jobs have arisen, Upton believes that the leap to AI with general intelligence on par with humans is an overblown assumption.
WOM Money Picks
Be a part of the winning team | 81% Success Rate.