AMD to buy Fei-Fei Li’s World Labs AI startup for $8.2 billion

World Labs CEO Fei-Fei Li speaks during an AMD keynote address at the CES 2026 consumer electronics trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Jan. 5. | REUTERS

Sep 29, 2026

Chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices has agreed to acquire World Labs for $8.2 billion, gaining an artificial intelligence startup founded by industry pioneer and researcher Fei-Fei Li.

The all-stock transaction is expected to close by the end of the year, subject to regulatory approvals, the companies said in a statement Monday.

AMD, a key challenger to Nvidia in the market for AI chips, is adding a team of leading researchers and their models, along with insights into how the AI field is evolving. That should help the company plan its future hardware releases.

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