MediaTek Genio and Ubuntu: How Canonical Powers Edge AI and IoT Devices

Modern intelligent devices require high-performance, power-efficient silicon combined with a mature, developer-friendly embedded Linux software ecosystem. To bridge this gap for GenAI and IoT innovators, MediaTek and Canonical have worked together for years to bring one of the world’s most popular open-source operating systems – Ubuntu – directly to the MediaTek Genio platform with its integrated NPU capability for edge GenAI acceleration.

We’ve written in the past about specific developments in our partnership, for example the introduction of Ubuntu support for MediaTek Genio 520 and 720. Today, however, we wanted to take the opportunity to talk about the partnership itself. We’ll explore exactly how we work together to deliver optimized Ubuntu images for Genio platforms and how this benefits our joint users.

The output: Tailored Ubuntu images for Genio

Let’s start with the goal of the partnership. Canonical partners with MediaTek to develop a suite of customized, production-ready Ubuntu images for Genio evaluation kits (EVKs). These images enable users to leverage the compute capabilities of Genio system-on-chip (SoC) devices while enjoying the enterprise-grade stability, long-term security, and seamless deployment workflows that Ubuntu is known for.

The images incorporate an Ubuntu-derived kernel officially maintained by Canonical, along with MediaTek's bootloader, firmware, and SoC enablement packages.

By starting with these images, organizations can significantly shrink their time-to-market. The partnership provides full support for multiple Ubuntu variants across both Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and Ubuntu 24.04 LTS:

• Ubuntu Desktop: Optimized for rich, hardware-accelerated graphical workloads and interactive displays.
• Ubuntu Server: A lightweight, reliable foundation for headless edge compute hubs and gateway applications.
• Ubuntu Core: A minimalist, containerized version of Ubuntu designed specifically for IoT and embedded devices. It features an immutable architecture and strict application confinement to deliver enhanced security and high reliability for mission-critical deployments.

Regardless of the Ubuntu variant, users get a performance-optimized environment right from the first boot. Developers gain immediate access to the vast Ubuntu ecosystem – including thousands of open-source packages, libraries, and tools – and, because Canonical backs these images under Ubuntu Pro, they benefit from up to 15 years of long-term maintenance, security updates, and regulatory compliance that are essential for commercial deployments.

How we work together

That was the “why”; now for the “how”. MediaTek and Canonical have been working closely together since 2021. To maximize performance and security from first boot, our joint engineering efforts focus on actively validating and optimizing essential software frameworks and technologies directly on the hardware:

• MediaTek Neural Processing Unit (NPU): MediaTek’s specialized NPU is fully integrated into the OS. This enables developers to deploy and accelerate deep learning models directly onto the devices without tedious manual configuration.
• Robot Operating System (ROS) and ROS 2: We rigorously test and validate critical middleware components. This provides a robust, plug-and-play framework for developers building advanced robotics, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and industrial automation solutions.
• Chromium browser: The browser is fully validated with native hardware-accelerated GPU and video decoding. Developers can create fluid, highly responsive user experiences for interactive kiosks, digital signage, and smart HMI displays immediately after flashing the image.
• Continuous security & CVE management: Beyond the frameworks themselves, Canonical continuously manages security and tracks CVEs for all packages on the Ubuntu Main and Universe repositories under Ubuntu Pro. This ensures your software foundation remains protected against emerging threats throughout its deployment lifecycle, drastically reducing internal maintenance overhead.

To sustain these engineering milestones, we have a dedicated joint team working continuously toward hardware and software optimizations. This team establishes a roadmap every six months to define the specific platforms and technologies we want to support next, providing a flexible, agile way to address evolving market demands rapidly. Beyond these core technical developments, we also collaborate closely on joint ecosystem engagement – actively building and providing open documentation to ensure users have a smooth, well-supported experience when getting started with our platforms.

The Roadmap: Expanding support for the Genio portfolio

Having worked together for five years and counting, our partnership is a well-oiled machine, and we continuously collaborate to expand Ubuntu support to new Genio platforms as the hardware portfolio evolves. Optimized Ubuntu images are currently available and officially supported for the following Genio platforms:

• Genio 720
• Genio 520
• Genio 1200
• Genio 700
• Genio 510
• Genio 350

What’s Next?

As MediaTek continues to expand its hardware offerings to power heavier generative AI and edge compute workloads, our engineering pipeline is already moving forward. Dedicated development is underway to bring full Ubuntu support to upcoming silicon, including:

• Genio 360
• Genio Pro 5100

For users, this roadmap ensures that their software foundation remains consistent as their hardware needs evolve. Furthermore, the joint engineering pipeline is already preparing to introduce Ubuntu 26.04 LTS support for Genio 720, 520, and 360, as well as Genio Pro 5100.

Get Started Today

Ready to start building? The optimized Ubuntu images are publicly available, and anyone can download and flash them onto a MediaTek Genio evaluation kit. 

1. Head over to the Official Ubuntu Download Page for MediaTek Genio to fetch the latest production or early-access image for your specific board.
2. Follow the comprehensive step-by-step flashing instructions available on the portal. 
3. Explore the MediaTek Genio Developer Documentation to learn how to tap into NeuroPilot, configure your hardware interfaces, and deploy your first edge workloads.

Join the conversation in our Community Forums to share what you're building, ask questions, and connect with other developers who are leveraging the power of Ubuntu on Genio. 

Curious to learn more about how Canonical works with silicon vendors? Explore our silicon partner program.