Imagination Technology Reportedly Shipped GPU IP to Chinese Companies like Moore Threads and Biren Technology

[AleksandarK]

According to a recent investigative report, UK-based Imagination Technologies faces allegations of transferring sensitive GPU intellectual property to Chinese companies with potential military connections. The UK-China Transparency organization claims that following its 2020 acquisition by China-controlled investment firm Canyon Bridge, Imagination provided complete access to its GPU IP to Chinese entities with military connections. The report suggests this included sharing detailed architectural documentation typically reserved for premier clients like Apple. At the center of the controversy are Chinese firms Moore Threads and Biren Technology, which have emerged as significant players in China's AI and GPU sectors. The report indicates Moore Threads maintains connections with military GPU suppliers, while Biren Technology has received partial Russian investment.

The organization argues that Canyon Bridge, which has ties to the state-owned China Reform enterprise, helped these technological transfers to benefit China's military-industrial complex. Imagination Technologies has defended its actions, maintaining that all licensing agreements comply with industry standards. The allegations have sparked renewed debate about foreign ownership of strategic technology assets and the effectiveness of current export controls. When Canyon Bridge acquired Imagination in 2020, security experts raised concerns about potential military applications of the firm's technology. UKCT plans to release additional findings, including information from legal disputes involving Imagination's previous management. Rising concerns over technology transfers have prompted governments to reassess export controls and corporate oversight in the semiconductor industry, as nations struggle to balance international commerce with national security priorities. We are yet to see official government response to this situation.



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[Caring1]

My solution would be simple, fine them and ban them from trading in the U.K.

 

[NoneRain]

following its 2020 acquisition by China-controlled investment firm

It's impossible that a single person involved didn't see that coming.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Knowing how the UK is run. Im not surprised this happened at all.

If a business is affiliated with your military, then a foreign entity or company from China wants to buy them out. The request should have been denied on the grounds of National Security or run up the ladder to the MoD and let them decide if the sale posed any risk.

Unfortunately. I dont see the UK Gov ever learning from this.

 

[AcE]

Money is everything.

 

[Wirko]

The UK has what is probably the greatest network of tax havens. Shell companies with (ahem) unknown ownership come in handy when you need to hide your profits and money transfers ... and more, including what's mentioned in this news post.

 

[Neo_Morpheus]

I wonder why they never returned to the dgpu market.

 

[Simon.J]

Knowing how the UK is run. Im not surprised this happened at all.

If a business is affiliated with your military, then a foreign entity or company from China wants to buy them out. The request should have been denied on the grounds of National Security or run up the ladder to the MoD and let them decide if the sale posed any risk.

Unfortunately. I dont see the UK Gov ever learning from this.

They do, but not in this case, look at this from tax perspective/efficiency, your government knows very well what it plays and how cause as every body of such has plans for decades and it doesn’t matter who is on top especially in UK, if you have doubts look at BBC as an example how it turned around and what values promotes.

 

[ymdhis]

I wonder why they never returned to the dgpu market.

Because nearly all mobile chips used to use PowerVR at one point, which is a significantly larger market. Nowadays it's a 4 way split between PowerVR, Mali (ARM), Adreno (Qualcomm), and Apple, but on my own sites I see very few PowerVR powered phones. Apple IIRC still licenses patents from Imagination, as well as Intel, Samsung, Renesas, etc, so they probably don't even need to sell anything at this point to keep afloat.

 

[eidairaman1]

I wonder why they never returned to the dgpu market.

It would have been nice if they became a contender, well there goes PowerVR... What a shame.

 

[bug]

Come on. You're selling to the Chinese and then act surprised Chinese actually took home what they bought? A 5yo would be puzzled by this attitude.

 

[Neo_Morpheus]

I could be wrong, but didnt they invented tile rendering, which is still used by everyone today?

If thats the case, I smell more money due to licensing.

But still, would love to see them again on the desktop market.

 

[bug]

I could be wrong, but didnt they invented tile rendering, which is still used by everyone today?

If thats the case, I smell more money due to licensing.

But still, would love to see them again on the desktop market.

Oh yeah, the Kyro. I was drooling over those, couldn't afford one at the time.

 

[GenericUsername2001]

I could be wrong, but didnt they invented tile rendering, which is still used by everyone today?

If thats the case, I smell more money due to licensing.

But still, would love to see them again on the desktop market.

They certainly did invent tile rendering, but that was back in the 1990s, so any patents related to their original version of tile rendering have since expired. They do still do development work for graphics and license the tech, but not sure how widespread it is today.

 

[TechBuyingHavoc]

My solution would be simple, fine them and ban them from trading in the U.K.

Fines never work, they are either too small and no one cares or too big and the firm is now at risk of bankruptcy. For similar reasons, the UK would not want to ban them from the country, it is one of their few corporate crown jewels in terms of educated workforce, and competency in a key industrial sector.

The actual solution is even simpler, charge and throw the actual offending corporate officers into jail. Real personal responsibility is the best way to increase accountability.

 

[JohH]

And about 4 years ago certain RDNA IP was stolen and distributed online.
Guess it wasn't enough.

 

[eidairaman1]

I could be wrong, but didnt they invented tile rendering, which is still used by everyone today?

If thats the case, I smell more money due to licensing.

But still, would love to see them again on the desktop market.

The Dreamcast Was Excellent in the Visual Dept then, Kyro was overshadowed, but I definitely would like them to do the same.

 

[pavle]

What is their major malfunction to go and do that? Instead of follow up of Kyro card they go a-whorin' with china. Baffling.
By the way - I had Kyro then Kyro II, they were wonderous little cards, but had too little fillrate - eventually I switched to GeForce2 Ti.

 

[Cheeseball]

What is their major malfunction to go and do that? Instead of follow up of Kyro card they go a-whorin' with china. Baffling.
By the way - I had Kyro then Kyro II, they were wonderous little cards, but had too little fillrate - eventually I switched to GeForce2 Ti.

Also, the lack of transform and lighting processing on the GPU itself made it less popular to the ATI Radeon and NVIDIA GeForce at the time. The Kyro II SE was supposed to address this but... you know what happened.

 

[Wirko]

My solution would be simple, fine them and ban them from trading in the U.K.

I understand it wasn't illegal. Have you ever heard of a company that voluntarily avoids trading with China? Or Russia, or Cuba, or any country on the ever-growing list of enemies?