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QNAP Unveils the New Edge AI Accelerators, QAI-M100 and QAI-U100, for Enhanced NAS AI Image Recognition Performance
Add 3 TOPS NPU computing power to a QNAP NAS via M.2 2280 PCIe slot or USB 3.2 Gen 1 port
Taipei, Taiwan, July 22, 2025 – QNAP® Systems, Inc., a leading computing, networking, and storage solutions innovator, has released the new edge AI accelerators QAI-M100 and QAI-U100 for QNAP NAS. With plug-and-play installation and flexible configuration, these accelerators provide small-and-medium-sized businesses and individual users with an affordable solution to enhance AI applications such as facial recognition and object recognition on NAS.
"With the rapid growth of edge AI, the demand for real-time data processing and analysis at the edge has increased,” said Andy Chung, Product Manager of QNAP, adding “The combination of QNAP NAS and the QAI edge AI accelerators not only provides a high-performance storage platform but also significantly boosts the computing efficiency of AI applications, improving overall cost-effectiveness."
When performing AI computations with the QAI-M100 and QAI-U100, the system operates with lower power consumption and higher efficiency. Users can install two QAI accelerators on a single NAS or application, enhancing the computing performance even further.
- QAI-M100: Uses an M.2 2280 B+M key interface and has a 3 TOPS NPU. It requires a NAS with an M.2 2280 PCIe slot or a PCIe expansion slot to install a QNAP QM2 expansion card. Built-in 1GB memory and heat dissipation cooling.
- QAI-U100: Uses a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A interface and has a 3 TOPS NPU. It requires a NAS with a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port. Built-in 1GB memory, heat dissipation cooling, and LED status light.
According to QNAP Lab testing, adding one QAI edge AI accelerator to a QNAP NAS can increase the AI object recognition speed of QuMagie Smart Album by up to 36% and facial recognition speed by up to 22%.*
Note: All performance improvement data is based on a comparison of the TS-673A NAS with and without using a QAI accelerator.
System Requirements
NAS Operating System: QTS 5.2.1.2930 build 20241025 (or later), QuTS hero h5.2.1.2929 build 20241025 (or later)
Compatible Software: QNAP AI Core v3.5.0 (or later), Multimedia Console v2.7.0 (or later), QuMagie v1.5.1 (or later)
For more information and to view the full QNAP lineup, please visit www.qnap.com.
About QNAP
QNAP (Quality Network Appliance Provider) is devoted to providing comprehensive solutions in software development, hardware design and in-house manufacturing. Focusing on storage, networking and smart video innovations, QNAP now introduce a revolutionary Cloud NAS solution that joins our cutting-edge subscription-based software and diversified service channel ecosystem. QNAP envisions NAS as being more than simple storage and has created a cloud-based networking infrastructure for users to host and develop artificial intelligence analysis, edge computing and data integration on their QNAP solutions.
