Design & Reuse

MIPS Takes ‘Software-First Approach’ With New RISC-V NPUs

Jan. 29, 2026 – 

By Austin Futrell, allaboutcircuits.com

The most recent addition to the MIPS Atlas family of RISC-V processors supports transformer- and agentic-language AI models at the edge.

System designers are rethinking AI inference as software-defined vehicles and autonomous machines continue to push the boundaries of intelligence. MIPS, now part of GlobalFoundries, is targeting that shift with the MIPS S8200, a software-first RISC-V neural processing unit (NPU) designed to enable Physical AI at the autonomous edge.

The S8200 expands the MIPS Atlas family of RISC-V processor IP and is positioned as the “Think” subsystem within MIPS’ broader Sense-Think-Act-Communicate framework. MIPS is integrating decision-making directly into edge platforms that must sense, reason, and respond in real time.

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