South Korean AI chipmaker FuriosaAI has turned down an $800 million acquisition offer from Meta Platforms, choosing instead to pursue independent growth. The decision highlights the startup’s confidence in its long-term strategy and its ambition to challenge industry leaders like Nvidia in the AI semiconductor space.
Founded in 2017 by CEO June Paik—formerly with Samsung Electronics and AMD—FuriosaAI specializes in AI inference chips designed for data centers. Its latest processor, dubbed “RNGD” (short for “Renegade”), is built to efficiently handle large language models and other complex AI workloads, positioning the company as a formidable competitor in the rapidly evolving AI hardware market.
Meta’s interest in FuriosaAI reflects its broader efforts to reduce reliance on third-party chipmakers, particularly Nvidia. In January, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced plans to invest up to $65 billion in AI infrastructure, including in-house chip development and massive data center expansions. Acquiring FuriosaAI would have accelerated those plans, but the startup’s leadership ultimately chose to remain independent.
Sources indicate that talks between Meta and FuriosaAI began earlier this year but didn’t advance to a formal agreement. Instead, FuriosaAI is moving forward with an extended Series C funding round, which is expected to exceed its original capital targets. The funds will be used to scale R&D, expand commercial deployment, and bolster its position in the global AI chip market.
By rejecting Meta’s offer, FuriosaAI signals a bold commitment to building its own legacy in the high-stakes semiconductor industry. As demand for efficient, scalable AI chips intensifies, FuriosaAI’s decision may prove pivotal in shaping the future landscape of AI infrastructure.
