# CEO Interview: Flex Logix’ Geoff Tate on AI | Open Source Hits Hardware

- Show: [EE Times Current](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current)
- Published: 2021-02-05
- Length: 40m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-02-05-ceo-interview-flex-logix-geoff-tate-on-ai-open-source-hits-hardware
- Listen: https://www.eetimes.com/podcasts/ep121/

## Summary

Geoff Tate, CEO of Flex Logix, explains the distinction between AI training and inference, arguing that engineers must benchmark their specific neural network models on target chips rather than relying on generic metrics like TOPS, which he demonstrates can be misleading compared to real-world performance on models like YOLO V3. Industry analyst Kevin Krewell discusses the rise of open technologies in hardware, tracing the evolution from open source software like Linux to open RAN in networking and the growing ecosystem around the open-source RISC-V architecture as an alternative to proprietary instruction sets like ARM and x86.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-02-05-ceo-interview-flex-logix-geoff-tate-on-ai-open-source-hits-hardware#t=0) Introduction and AI Overview
- [4:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-02-05-ceo-interview-flex-logix-geoff-tate-on-ai-open-source-hits-hardware#t=285) Geoff Tate on AI Training vs Inference
- [10:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-02-05-ceo-interview-flex-logix-geoff-tate-on-ai-open-source-hits-hardware#t=637) Benchmarking AI Chips: TOPS and YOLO V3
- [18:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-02-05-ceo-interview-flex-logix-geoff-tate-on-ai-open-source-hits-hardware#t=1107) Future of AI Applications and Volume
- [23:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-02-05-ceo-interview-flex-logix-geoff-tate-on-ai-open-source-hits-hardware#t=1405) Kevin Krewell on Open Source Hardware and RISC-V
- [34:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-02-05-ceo-interview-flex-logix-geoff-tate-on-ai-open-source-hits-hardware#t=2076) Geopolitics and the Future of Instruction Sets

## Topics

- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Open-source hardware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/open-source-hardware)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Flex Logix (company)
- Geoff Tate (other)
- NVIDIA (company)
- Xavier NX (product)
- YOLO V3 (product)
- ResNet 50 (product)
- Rambus (company)
- Nintendo 64 (product)
- Linux (product)
- Open RAN (product)
- RISC-V (chip)
- Kevin Krewell (other)
- ARM (company)
- Intel (company)
- x86 (chip)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Episode 85: OpenAI leaves AI Silicon in the Dust](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-09-16-episode-85-openai-leaves-ai-silicon-in-the-dust) (The Circuit)
- [Episode 8: AI Infrastructure and Silicon Demands](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2023-02-27-episode-8-ai-infrastructure-and-silicon-demands) (The Circuit)
- [Episode 105: Sanity Check on Custom ASICS?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2025-02-17-episode-105-sanity-check-on-custom-asics) (The Circuit)
- [Open FPGA Toolchains and Machine Learning with Brian Faith of QuickLogic](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-01-11-open-fpga-toolchains-and-machine-learning-with-brian-faith-of-quicklogic) (The Amp Hour)
- [An Interview with Claire (née 'Clifford') Wolf](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-01-08-an-interview-with-claire-nee-clifford-wolf) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

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