AsianFin -- FuriosaAI Inc., a Seoul-based startup aiming to challenge Nvidia Corp. in the AI chip space, has secured its first major client with LG AI Research, marking a key milestone just months after turning down an $800 million acquisition offer from Meta Platforms Inc.

LG approved FuriosaAI’s flagship chip, RNGD (pronounced “Renegade”), following a seven-month evaluation focused on performance and efficiency. The chip will now power LG’s Exaone large-language models, CEO June Paik told Bloomberg News.

The deal represents a significant validation for FuriosaAI, one of several South Korean chipmakers seeking to capitalize on the surge in AI infrastructure demand following the rise of ChatGPT. RNGD is designed to take on not only Nvidia, but also fellow AI hardware startups including Groq Inc., SambaNova Systems Inc., and Cerebras Systems Inc.