Arduino Portenta x8 with Axelera

The Arduino Portenta x8 is rewriting the rules of edge AI development through a high-performance partnership between Arduino and Axelera AI. Unveiled at Embedded World 2025, this platform delivers an unprecedented 240 TOPS of AI compute in a compact, power-efficient form factor—allowing real-time, local inference without reliance on the cloud.

At its core, the Arduino Portenta x8 features Axelera’s flagship neural processing unit, purpose-built for edge deployments. This chip is capable of running complex AI workloads, including large language models and high-resolution vision tasks, entirely on-device. Whether you’re building autonomous robotics, industrial monitoring systems, or smart home products, the Portenta x8 enables breakthrough capability without server latency or privacy trade-offs.

During the live demo, the board ran a full LLM inference pipeline natively, showcasing not just speed but practical usability for engineers and innovators. With Arduino’s accessible Pro ecosystem, this combination allows developers to build powerful AI-driven systems without specialist knowledge in embedded ML or hardware acceleration.

The Arduino Portenta x8 also represents a new phase in Arduino’s journey—from hobbyist microcontrollers to professional-grade AI platforms. As CEO Fabio Violante explained, Arduino’s goal is to democratise edge AI development, empowering both professionals and tinkerers to create real-world applications at scale.

One of the most valuable aspects of the platform is its ease of use. Paired with Arduino’s well-known software environment and ecosystem of libraries, users can deploy advanced models using intuitive, developer-friendly workflows. That includes support for popular frameworks like TensorFlow Lite and ONNX, with minimal setup or tuning.

From a hardware standpoint, the Arduino Portenta x8 brings enterprise-class power to the maker and engineering community. It offers rich I/O support, modular expansion options, and robust edge connectivity—while maintaining the familiar Arduino form factor.

With its global developer base and open ecosystem, Arduino is ideally positioned to push AI acceleration beyond labs and into the field. Combined with Axelera’s cutting-edge silicon, the Arduino Portenta x8 marks a defining moment in the evolution of accessible embedded AI.