FADU unveils world's 1st file-semantic SSD to power AI workloads
Visitors watch a demonstration of FADU’s file-semantic solid-state drive at the 2026 OCP Global Summit at San Jose Convention Center in California. Courtesy of FADU
Korean data center chipmaker FADU has unveiled what it calls the world’s first file-semantic solid-state drive (SSD), a storage technology designed to help artificial intelligence (AI) systems access data faster while reducing computing overhead and power consumption.
The company introduced its file-semantic SSD, or FS-SSD, at the 2026 Open Compute Project Global Summit in San Jose, California, which ran from Monday to Thursday under the theme “Scaling Innovation for the AI Era.”
Unlike conventional SSDs, which manage data through block addresses, FADU’s FS-SSD is designed to recognize and manage files directly, shifting tasks traditionally handled by a server’s central processing unit and operating system into the storage device itself.
The technology uses FADU’s sixth-generation SSD controller, equipped with firmware that handles file searches, access permissions and file-to-address translation within the drive.
By embedding file requests in standard Non-Volatile Memory Express commands, the system allows accelerators such as graphics processing units and data processing units, as well as remote servers, to read and write files directly without routing requests through the central processing unit (CPU).
The approach targets a growing bottleneck in AI infrastructure, where repeatedly accessing training data and saving model checkpoints can place heavy demands on processors and increase latency.
FADU said its technology could eliminate intermediary processing layers, allowing storage servers to operate with less CPU, memory and software infrastructure, potentially cutting power use and operating costs.
The company plans to develop the technology into DPU-based hostless storage servers and scalable file storage systems, while providing reference designs to original equipment manufacturers and original design manufacturers.
At the summit, FADU also demonstrated its sixth-generation FC6161 controller using a 16-terabyte SSD, reporting performance up to 2.5 times that of its previous-generation Gen5 technology.
The company said the complete Gen6-based SSD consumes less than 28 watts during sequential writes and less than 5 watts in standby mode.
FADU said AI data centers require power efficiency, consistent latency, power management and effective cooling, adding that the company aims to become a leading provider of AI storage solutions.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.