News
Samsung recruits Biren founder Jiao Guofang to lead GPU development
Thursday, December 25, 2025 at 09:51 AM
Samsung has reportedly recruited Jiao Guofang, the founder of Biren and former lead of Qualcomm's Adreno GPU development, to head its internal GPU division following the implementation of recent export controls.
Context
Samsung Electronics has strategically recruited Xu Lingjie, the co-founder of Chinese AI unicorn Biren Technology, to spearhead its internal GPU development. This high-profile hire comes as Samsung moves to close the competitive gap in AI and high-performance computing markets. Xu is a seasoned industry veteran who previously spent over a decade leading Qualcomm’s successful Adreno GPU division, providing the technical leadership necessary for Samsung to develop its own sovereign silicon IP.
The recruitment follows a period of intense pressure from US export controls in 2022 and 2023, which severely hampered Biren’s growth and restricted its access to advanced manufacturing. For investors, this move indicates a pivot away from Samsung’s historical reliance on licensed designs from AMD and ARM. By building an in-house GPU architecture, Samsung aims to improve the performance and margins of its Exynos mobile chips and future AI accelerators, positioning itself as a vertically integrated competitor to Apple and NVIDIA.
Related Companies
Samsung Electronics
005930
Qualcomm
QCOM