Cortus CEO advocates for RISC-V to secure Europe’s AI infrastructure autonomy
Cortus CEO Michael Chapman discusses the strategic importance of RISC-V processors and open standards for Europe's semiconductor future, emphasizing energy-efficient AI in embedded systems, industrial IoT, and high-performance computing. He highlights Cortus's role in developing high-performance RISC-V CPUs and specialized AI inference architectures to compete globally and reduce European dependency on foreign technologies. The article also addresses the need for open software standards in AI infrastructure investments to foster a competitive ecosystem.
Key Takeaways
- Cortus is developing 64-bit out-of-order RISC-V processors capable of reaching 4GHz for automotive and aerospace applications.
- The company's proprietary 32-bit architecture currently powers over 18 billion devices globally, with annual production at 1.2 billion units.
- CEO Michael Chapman warns that without open standards, Europe faces a perpetual dependency on foreign-designed chips for data center infrastructure.
- Specialized AI inference CPUs are being developed to replace power-heavy GPU architectures in energy-sensitive edge applications.
Why It Matters
The push for RISC-V standardization represents a critical move toward European 'technological sovereignty' at a time when chip supply chains are increasingly weaponized. While US-based Arm and Nvidia dominate training, Cortus is positioning RISC-V as the open-source alternative for the high-performance inference market. For streaming and video tech, this signal suggests a shift toward more specialized, localized, and energy-efficient processing at the network edge, which could reduce the high operational costs associated with GPU-based AI workflows. Watch for the official call for AI Gigafactory expressions of interest in July 2026 to see if interoperability mandates are included.
Additional Context
The strategic push by Cortus aligns with broader legislative efforts in Brussels to reset the continent's silicon strategy. On June 3, 2026, the European Commission introduced the Chips Act 2.0, a revised framework specifically designed to accelerate development in the AI processor segment and streamline permitting for 'first-of-a-kind' manufacturing facilities. According to Digi.watch (June 2026), this package also includes the Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA), which aims to triple domestic data center capacity over the next seven years to reduce reliance on non-EU cloud providers. This regulatory momentum coincides with significant technical milestones for the European RISC-V ecosystem. In late 2025, the eProcessor Project, where Cortus serves as the primary architecture partner, successfully deployed Europe’s first 22nm out-of-order RISC-V silicon capable of running Linux. This breakthrough is viewed as a necessary precursor to more complex deployments in the €20 billion 'AI Factories' network being managed by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking. Per Europa.eu (April 2026), these facilities are expected to bring over 100,000 advanced AI processors online to support sovereign model training. Despite these gains, the competitive landscape remains dominated by established global players. While the RISC-V market is projected by Mordor Intelligence to grow at a 41.23% CAGR through 2031, US-based SiFive continues to lead the segment, recently raising a $400 million Series G round to bolster its own AI data center roadmap (May 2026). The success of European entrants like Cortus will likely depend on the EU’s willingness to use public procurement as a lever to favor interoperable, domestically designed architectures over existing proprietary toolchains.
Read full article at eenewseurope.com
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