# AI or 5G? EdgeQ Asks, "Why Not Both?" While Building a Wireless Base Station-on-a-Chip

- Show: [Moore's Lobby](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby)
- Published: 2023-06-27
- Length: 53m
- Episode: 9
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2023-06-27-ai-or-5g-edgeq-asks-why-not-both-while-building-a-wireless-base-station-on-a-chi
- Listen: https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/podcast/ai-or-5g-edgeq-asks-why-not-both-while-building-wireless-base-station-on-chip

## Summary

Adil Kidwai, VP and Head of Product Management at EdgeQ, explains how the company built a software-defined base station-on-a-chip that combines 5G and AI capabilities using RISC-V processors. He details the mathematical similarities between information theory and AI, allowing EdgeQ to offer customizable features like low latency or high bandwidth to reduce power consumption and cost compared to traditional multi-chip solutions. Kidwai also reflects on his career transition from Intel's wireless division to a startup environment, highlighting the challenges of scaling during the pandemic and the shift in cellular networks from human-centric to machine-centric communication.

## Chapters

- [0:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2023-06-27-ai-or-5g-edgeq-asks-why-not-both-while-building-a-wireless-base-station-on-a-chi#t=1) Introduction and Adil Kidwai's Background
- [3:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2023-06-27-ai-or-5g-edgeq-asks-why-not-both-while-building-a-wireless-base-station-on-a-chi#t=234) RF Engineering and Predistortion Research at UCLA
- [8:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2023-06-27-ai-or-5g-edgeq-asks-why-not-both-while-building-a-wireless-base-station-on-a-chi#t=536) Intel's Wi-Fi, MyWiMAX Efforts, and Infineon Acquisition
- [16:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2023-06-27-ai-or-5g-edgeq-asks-why-not-both-while-building-a-wireless-base-station-on-a-chi#t=1004) Transitioning from Wi-Fi to Cellular and AI
- [28:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2023-06-27-ai-or-5g-edgeq-asks-why-not-both-while-building-a-wireless-base-station-on-a-chi#t=1718) EdgeQ's Software-Defined Base Station-on-a-Chip
- [37:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2023-06-27-ai-or-5g-edgeq-asks-why-not-both-while-building-a-wireless-base-station-on-a-chi#t=2232) RISC-V Custom Instructions and Power Efficiency
- [40:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2023-06-27-ai-or-5g-edgeq-asks-why-not-both-while-building-a-wireless-base-station-on-a-chi#t=2417) 5G to 6G Evolution, Non-Terrestrial Networks, and Career Advice

## Topics

- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Wireless & RF](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/wireless-and-rf)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- EdgeQ (company)
- Intel (company)
- RISC-V (chip)
- UCLA (other)
- Infineon (company)
- Qualcomm (company)
- NVIDIA (company)
- Motorola (company)
- MyWiMAX (product)
- 5G (other)
- 6G (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Live! From Embedded World, ISSCC, and (sorta) Mobile World Congress](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2020-02-28-live-from-embedded-world-isscc-and-sorta-mobile-world-congress) (EE Times Current)
- [AI at the Edge – Myth or Reality](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2022-11-11-ai-at-the-edge-myth-or-reality) (EE Times Current)
- [What is Hybrid Connectivity for IoT? | Monogoto's Maor Efrati | Internet of Things Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2025-11-25-what-is-hybrid-connectivity-for-iot-monogotos-maor-efrati-internet-of-things-pod) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [5G and the Internet of Everything](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-08-06-5g-and-the-internet-of-everything) (EE Times Current)
- [Advancing Connectivity at the Industrial IoT Edge](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2022-02-18-advancing-connectivity-at-the-industrial-iot-edge) (EE Times Current)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2023-06-27-ai-or-5g-edgeq-asks-why-not-both-while-building-a-wireless-base-station-on-a-chi. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Moore's Lobby.