Facebook Might Be Planning to Manufacture its Own Processors

Facebook is looking to create its own processor chips to lower its dependence on companies such as Intel and Qualcomm. For that purpose, the social media giant has posted a LinkedIn job listing to hire a SoC/ASIC developer. The listing reads,

The ideal candidate will be a consensus driven leader with management and leadership experience in small to large size organizations, with comprehensive system and silicon development experience, and a proven track record of first-pass success in ASIC, FPGA and Systems.

Chip Types

Facebook wants to hire a manager to create its own “end-to-end SoC/ASIC, firmware and driver development organization,”. A system-on-chip or SoC is a processor used in mobile devices. An application-specific integrated-circuit or ASIC is a chip designed for a specific purpose.

Google has also entered the hardware business and now develops its own AI chips. Apple has been using its own SoC’s in iPhones since 2010 and has also decided to use its own chips in Macs by 2020.

Potential Use Cases

Facebook might use these chips in its data servers and other hardware to reduce outsourcing costs. Moreover, the company is also expected to improve its Oculus VR headset line. Yann LeCun, Facebook’s AI researcher tweeted another job opening for developing AI-specific ASICs.

Recently, Mark Zuckerberg said that the company will implement advanced AI to improve control on millions of Facebook posts made each day. The social media giant has not revealed why it’s looking to develop these chips and declined to comment on the matter.

Via Bloomberg