Non-volatile Memory Technologies for Edge AI Applications

Embedded non-volatile memories (NVMs) hold significant promise for advancing edge AI applications by offering unique advantages in near/in-memory computing-based accelerators. This invited paper delivers an in-depth review of the use cases for NVMs, emphasizing their potential to enhance area- and energy-efficiency in edge devices. We begin by outlining the latest advancements in TSMC NVM technologies and examining several NVM-based accelerator test chips enabled by the TSMC University Shuttle Program. Additionally, we delve into the tradeoffs involved in optimizing NVM devices, explore their potential for approximate computing applications, and assess the impact of NVM non-idealities on inference accuracy.