BrainChip Launches AKD1500 PCIe Card For Edge AI Evaluation Everywhere

BrainChip’s new AKD1500 PCIe card lets any PC with a spare slot evaluate Akida-based edge AI models using open, free tools.

Rhea-AI Summary

BrainChip (BCHPY) launched the AKD1500 PCIe development card on September 17, 2026, providing desktop and industrial PC access to its Akida neuromorphic Edge AI co-processor.

The ultra-low power, self-learning card installs in a standard PCIe slot in desktops, workstations, industrial PCs or single-board computers and runs models built in existing frameworks. It is available now through BrainChip’s online store and complements earlier AKD1500 formats such as an evaluation card, deployable M.2 module, packaged and unpackaged silicon, and licensable IP cores. BrainChip also offers open tools and a model library without subscription or license fees. The launch comes amid ABI Research’s estimate that the edge AI chipset market will grow from $34.4 billion in 2026 to $96 billion by 2031.

Positive

• AKD1500 PCIe development card is now commercially available via BrainChip’s online store
• Product portfolio now covers PCIe card, M.2 module, silicon and licensable IP cores
• Open development tools and model library offered with no subscription or license fees

Negative

• None.

Market Context

The prior AKD1500 M.2 availability announcement was followed by a 9.82% 24-hour gain; this PCIe card...

Analysis

The prior AKD1500 M.2 availability announcement was followed by a 9.82% 24-hour gain; this PCIe card launch extends the same chip into another developer-access form factor.

Previous AI Reports

2 past events · Latest: Jul 28

Same Type 2 events

1. Jul 28

   M.2 module availability

   24h Move

   +9.8%

   AKD1500 became available as a compact M.2 module for fanless edge AI designs.

2. Nov 04

   AKD1500 co-processor unveiling

   24h Move

   -0.2%

   AKD1500 co-processor unveiled with sub-300 mW power and Q3'26 production schedule.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Key Terms

pcie, neuromorphic ai, event-based, m.2

4 terms

pcie technical

"the AKD1500 PCIe development card, an ultra-low power PCIe card"

PCIe (PCI Express) is a high-speed connection standard used inside computers and servers to link components like graphics cards, storage drives, and network adapters so they can send data quickly to each other. Investors care because faster, more efficient PCIe support can make a product more competitive—think of it as wider, faster highway lanes for data—which affects device performance, upgrade flexibility, manufacturing cost and customer demand.

neuromorphic ai technical

"fully digital, event-based neuromorphic AI"

Neuromorphic AI is a style of computing that builds hardware and software to mimic how the human brain processes information, using networks of artificial “neurons” to handle tasks like pattern recognition with low power and fast response. For investors it matters because these systems can enable devices and services that are far more energy-efficient and responsive than conventional processors, potentially opening new markets, lowering operating costs, and creating product differentiation — but they also carry development and adoption risks.

event-based technical

"fully digital, event-based neuromorphic AI"

Describes actions, rules, or processes that are triggered only when a specific occurrence or milestone happens, rather than on a regular timetable. For investors, event-based items matter because their timing and impact depend on an uncertain trigger (for example a merger closing, regulatory approval, or a performance target), so they can cause sudden changes in cash flows, disclosures, ownership, or stock price—like a light that turns on only when a particular switch is flipped.

m.2 technical

"a deployable M.2 module"

A measure of the amount of money available in the economy, including cash, checking accounts and ‘near-cash’ assets like savings deposits and small time deposits. Think of it as the water supply for an economy — how much is flowing now and how much can quickly be used — and investors watch it because changes can signal future inflation, interest-rate moves, and shifts in demand that affect stock, bond and commodity prices.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Providing universal access for developers, the card installs in a desktop, workstation, industrial PC or single-board computer

LAGUNA HILLS, Calif., Sept. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BrainChip Holdings Ltd. (ASX: BRN, OTCQX: BRCHF, ADR: BCHPY), a global leader in ultra-low power, fully digital, event-based neuromorphic AI, announced the AKD1500 PCIe development card, an ultra-low power PCIe card with self-learning capability that delivers silicon evaluation to any desktop or industrial PC.

Built on BrainChip’s AKD1500 Edge AI Co-Processor, the AKD1500 PCIe card installs in a standard PCIe slot in a desktop, workstation, industrial PC or single-board computer, and runs models built in existing frameworks. It is available for purchase now through BrainChip's online store.

The launch means BrainChip's AKD1500 chip is available in every form an engineering team needs to build and test edge AI applications: an evaluation card, a deployable M.2 module, packaged/unpackaged silicon and intellectual property (IP) a chip team can license.

It also means Akida can sit in a server anywhere and be tested as part of a team's development pipeline. Any developer with a PC can now validate Akida with their own models using their own streaming data; a model validated on the card runs on the deployed hardware without change.

"Our customers no longer have to choose between proving out neuromorphic AI and productizing it," said Sean Hehir, CEO of BrainChip. "Akida is available in every form they need — from card to IP —turning a technology into a complete roadmap for adoption.”

Universal Access Is the BrainChip Advantage

From a low-cost PCIe developer card to M.2 modules, NICLA/Arduino boards, silicon, die and Akida IP cores for custom ASICs, BrainChip's complete product line puts neuromorphic computing within reach at every stage.

"The first challenge in evaluating new AI architectures is getting your hands on silicon and tools," said Steve Brightfield, chief product officer of BrainChip. "If you have a PC with a spare slot, you can be running your own models on Akida this afternoon — and what you execute on that card seamlessly carries through to a module, a chip or IP in your own SoC design. The line of adoption is complete."

BrainChip’s completion of universal access is well-timed given the increase in the number of edge devices incorporating edge AI silicon, such as industrial sensors, cameras, robots and wearables.

ABi Research's 2Q 2026 market update estimates the edge AI chipset market at $34.4 billion in 2026, growing to $96 billion by 2031, with unit shipments more than doubling from 711 million to 1.59 billion.

Edge devices demand intelligence that runs on a fraction of a watt without a fan or a cloud connection, and they must keep learning once deployed. That is precisely the class of design for which Akida was built; now every team building one can validate it themselves.

The AKD1500 PCIe card launch builds on BrainChip’s industry-leading momentum, which includes production of the AKD1500 chip and launch of the M.2 module over the past two months.

The AKD1500 PCIe card is available for purchase through BrainChip's online store, with open tools and model library without subscription or license fees.

About BrainChip Holdings Ltd.

BrainChip is the worldwide leader in edge AI on-chip processing and learning. The company’s first-to-market, fully digital, event-based AI processor, Akida™, uses neuromorphic principles to analyze only essential sensor inputs at the point of acquisition, processing data with unmatched efficiency, precision and energy economy. BrainChip’s technology is deployed across industries including aerospace, defense, industrial IoT, healthcare, consumer devices, and wearables. Explore more at www.brainchip.com.

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/7792006 

Investor Contact

IR@brainchip.com 

BrainChip Media Contact

Maddie Coe

PRforBrainchip@bospar.com

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What hardware is needed to use BrainChip’s AKD1500 PCIe card?

The AKD1500 PCIe card installs in a standard PCIe slot in a desktop, workstation, industrial PC or single-board computer, allowing developers with a compatible PC to run their own models on Akida.

How does model portability work across BrainChip’s Akida-based products?

A model validated on the AKD1500 PCIe card runs on the deployed hardware without change, and BrainChip states that what executes on the card carries through to a module, a chip or Akida IP in a custom SoC design.

What market growth figures for edge AI chipsets are cited in the announcement?

ABI Research’s 2Q 2026 update is cited as estimating the edge AI chipset market at $34.4 billion in 2026, growing to $96 billion by 2031, with unit shipments rising from 711 million to 1.59 billion over the same period.