AMD acquires ‘godmother of AI’ Li Fei-Fei’s start-up as battle with Nvidia intensifies | South China Morning Post            (https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3369141/amd-acquires-godmother-ai-li-fei-feis-start-battle-nvidia-intensifies)                                               (../../../../static/manifest.json)  (../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/favicon.ico)  (../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/icons/scmp-icon-192x192.png)  (../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/icons/scmp-icon-256x256.png)  (../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/icons/scmp-icon-192x192.png)  (../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/icons/scmp-icon-192x192.png)  (https://amp.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3369141/amd-acquires-godmother-ai-li-fei-feis-start-battle-nvidia-intensifies)  (https://apigw.scmp.com)  (https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com)  (https://cdn.i-scmp.com)  (https://img.i-scmp.com)  (https://cdn1.i-scmp.com)  (https://cdn2.i-scmp.com)  (https://cdn3.i-scmp.com)  (https://cdn4.i-scmp.com)  (https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com)  (https://ad-tech.scmp.com)  (https://c.amazon-adsystem.com)  (https://cdn.keywee.co)  (https://cdn.mouseflow.com)  (https://cdn.opecloud.com)  (https://cdn.petametrics.com)  (https://connect.facebook.com)  (https://fonts.gstatic.com)  (https://js-sec.indexww.com)  (https://securepubads.g.doubleclick.net)  (https://widgets.scmp.com)  (https://www.doubleclickbygoogle.com)  (https://www.facebook.com)  (https://www.google-analytics.com)  (https://www.googleadservices.com)  (https://www.google.com)  (https://www.googletagmanager.com)  (../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/4a9777f1b0526d0c.css)  (../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/024d37ad54557c14.css)  (../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/127ae35205af64c7.css)  (../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/bd5ebf0790610eb8.css)  (../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/a070c9513bea1763.css)    (../../../../../fonts.googleapis.com/icon@family=Material+Icons&display=swap.css)  (../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/4a9777f1b0526d0c.css)  (../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/024d37ad54557c14.css)  (../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/127ae35205af64c7.css)  (../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/bd5ebf0790610eb8.css)  (../../../../../assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/_next/static/css/a070c9513bea1763.css)       (https://www.scmp.com/?module=masthead&pgtype=article)                                   Advertisement     (https://www.scmp.com/topics/artificial-intelligence?module=breadcrumb&pgtype=article) Artificial intelligence  (https://www.scmp.com/tech?module=breadcrumb&pgtype=article) Tech   (https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech?module=breadcrumb&pgtype=article) Big Tech    AMD acquires ‘godmother of AI’ Li Fei-Fei’s start-up as battle with Nvidia intensifies   Acquisition gives US chipmaker greater exposure to world-model technology seen as crucial for robotics and physical AI       2-MIN READ 2-MIN             2                    Listen            (Li Fei-Fei speaks at the CES annual consumer electronics trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada, in January. Photo: Reuters)                    (https://www.scmp.com/author/chong-ming-lee) Chong Ming Lee and (https://www.scmp.com/author/minxiao-chang) Minxiao Chang in Shenzhen   Published: 12:30pm, 29 Sep 2026     US chip giant Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has agreed to acquire World Labs, the artificial intelligence start-up founded by renowned (https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3360115/next-frontier-ai-how-world-models-are-simulating-reality-and-virtual-spaces?module=inline&pgtype=article) () Chinese-American computer scientist Li Fei-Fei  , for US$8.2 billion in an all-stock deal, as the company steps up its rivalry with Nvidia. The acquisition, expected to close by the end of this year, would integrate World Labs’ research team and spatial-intelligence model expertise into AMD, according to an announcement on Monday. Li, a Stanford University professor widely known as the “(https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3350351/chinese-tech-giants-ai-godmother-li-fei-fei-race-seize-edge-world-models?module=inline&pgtype=article) () godmother of AI  ” for creating the groundbreaking ImageNet database, would join AMD as executive vice-president and chief scientist, reporting directly to CEO Lisa Su, the announcement said.   Founded in 2024, World Labs specialises in spatial intelligence, developing so-called world models that can perceive, generate and reconstruct 3D environments. The technology is considered increasingly important for (https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3359847/physical-ai-space-race-can-europe-compete-china-and-us-humanoid-robotics?module=inline&pgtype=article) () robotics and physical AI  , where models must interact with the real world rather than simply process text.                                       Select Voice           Select Speed     (0.8)    0.8x  (0.9)    0.9x  (1)     1.0x  (1.1)    1.1x  (1.2)    1.2x  (1.5)    1.5x  (1.75)    1.75x      00:00 (0)  00:00             1x  AI-generated voice