Qualcomm’s strategic acquisition of MovianAI from Vietnam’s Vingroup marks a significant escalation in the chipmaker’s push to dominate generative AI capabilities for edge devices. This move, following its recent purchase of tinyML specialist Edge Impulse, signals Qualcomm’s determination to build comprehensive AI capabilities spanning from resource-constrained IoT devices to sophisticated smartphone applications. By acquiring both specialized AI teams with complementary expertise, Qualcomm is positioning itself at the forefront of AI innovation across the entire computing spectrum.
The big picture: Qualcomm has acquired MovianAI, the generative AI division of Vietnam’s VinAI, to strengthen its research and development capabilities in advanced artificial intelligence.
- The acquisition brings a team of AI researchers led by Dr. Hung Bui, a former Google DeepMind scientist, who will continue heading the team at their Hanoi base.
- This strategic purchase follows Qualcomm’s recent acquisition of Edge Impulse, a company specializing in miniaturized machine learning for microcontrollers in IoT devices.
Complementary AI capabilities: The two acquisitions represent different ends of the AI spectrum, with MovianAI focusing on sophisticated generative AI while Edge Impulse specializes in optimizing AI for resource-constrained environments.
- MovianAI’s expertise spans generative AI, machine learning, computer vision, and natural language processing—technologies increasingly critical for smartphones and advanced computing devices.
- The dual acquisitions position Qualcomm to develop AI solutions across both high-performance devices and power-limited IoT applications.
Strategic talent acquisition: Qualcomm described the MovianAI team as a “powerhouse” generative AI group that pushes boundaries with customized AI models and engineering expertise.
- Dr. Hung Bui’s background at Google DeepMind brings valuable experience in cutting-edge AI research to Qualcomm’s development efforts.
- Jilei Hou, Qualcomm’s senior vice president of engineering, emphasized the company’s commitment to dedicating necessary resources to R&D that positions them as “the driving force behind the next wave of AI innovation.”
Industry implications: The acquisition highlights the growing importance of Vietnam as an emerging tech talent hub in Southeast Asia.
- Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, through its VinAI division, has established itself as a notable player in the global AI research landscape.
- Financial terms of the MovianAI acquisition were not disclosed, reflecting a common practice in strategic technology acquisitions where talent and intellectual property value may exceed traditional valuation metrics.
Recent Stories
DOE fusion roadmap targets 2030s commercial deployment as AI drives $9B investment
The Department of Energy has released a new roadmap targeting commercial-scale fusion power deployment by the mid-2030s, though the plan lacks specific funding commitments and relies on scientific breakthroughs that have eluded researchers for decades. The strategy emphasizes public-private partnerships and positions AI as both a research tool and motivation for developing fusion energy to meet data centers' growing electricity demands. The big picture: The DOE's roadmap aims to "deliver the public infrastructure that supports the fusion private sector scale up in the 2030s," but acknowledges it cannot commit to specific funding levels and remains subject to Congressional appropriations. Why...
Oct 17, 2025Tying it all together: Credo’s purple cables power the $4B AI data center boom
Credo, a Silicon Valley semiconductor company specializing in data center cables and chips, has seen its stock price more than double this year to $143.61, following a 245% surge in 2024. The company's signature purple cables, which cost between $300-$500 each, have become essential infrastructure for AI data centers, positioning Credo to capitalize on the trillion-dollar AI infrastructure expansion as hyperscalers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Elon Musk's xAI rapidly build out massive computing facilities. What you should know: Credo's active electrical cables (AECs) are becoming indispensable for connecting the massive GPU clusters required for AI training and inference. The company...
Oct 17, 2025Vatican launches Latin American AI network for human development
The Vatican hosted a two-day conference bringing together 50 global experts to explore how artificial intelligence can advance peace, social justice, and human development. The event launched the Latin American AI Network for Integral Human Development and established principles for ethical AI governance that prioritize human dignity over technological advancement. What you should know: The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the Vatican's research body for social issues, organized the "Digital Rerum Novarum" conference on October 16-17, combining academic research with practical AI applications. Participants included leading experts from MIT, Microsoft, Columbia University, the UN, and major European institutions. The conference...