Arm set to play key role in Graphcore AI rebirth

Both companies are now ensconced in the SoftBank shareholding stable following the Japanese company’s $600m-plus takeover of Graphcore, which had been sweating for months on raising survival capital.

Arm and Graphcore each have operations in both Cambridge and Bristol. It is no secret that SoftBank has acquired Graphcore to bolster its AI armoury.

There has been inside track speculation that under a new initiative Arm and Graphcore could join forces to steer a new generation of AI chips aimed at data centres.

This may involve creation of a special unit to oversee the play – location as yet undetermined – although the Cambridge-Bristol, axis could prove pivotal here.

Business Weekly reported in mid-May that SoftBank wanted Arm to establish a dedicated AI chip division to maximise an area in which it is incredibly influential.

Arm CEO Rene Haas has spelled out many times now that artificial intelligence could be a huge growth market – among many others – for the Nasdaq quoted company.

More should be known by the end of July when Arm announces its results for the first quarter of the financial year ending 2025.

SoftBank’s takeover of Graphcore should help the business maximise its technology strengths despite a tough year of heavy losses and major redundancies. The current management remains in place.