Intel is hoping to launch an ecosystem of 100 million PCs loaded with AI capabilities thanks to its new Intel Core Ultra CPUs coupled with a newly announced AI acceleration program.
The chipmaking giant has partnered with hardware and software vendors including Adobe, Webex and Zoom to maximize the potential of the Intel Core Ultra chips, announced in September. These will be the first chip released in the consumer market with dedicated neural processing units (NPUs) built in.
The AI acceleration program will see Intel connect hardware and software vendors with a package of Intel resources including AI toolchains, co-engineering, hardware design resources, technical expertise, and co-marketing opportunities.
Intel is bringing AI to the consumer market
“Intel recognizes that software leadership is key to the AI PC experience, and we’re uniquely positioned to lead the industry with an open ecosystem approach,” said Michelle Johnston Holthaus, executive VP and GM of the Client Computing Group at Intel. “
With a long history in AI development and a deep network of ISV engineering relationships, Intel will take an active role in fostering connections and innovations that propel new use cases and experiences on the PC.”
Intel’s Core Ultra chips – codenamed Meteor Lake – will launch in December and feature a multi-chiplet module (MCM) design. This is a major design shift for the firm, and represents the first step in bringing AI to the computing masses.
The aim of this program is to boost the rate of AI development across the computing industry, by increasing the availability of software boosted by AI and machine learning.
People will, with time, have the tools to improve efficiency and be more creative with AI, thanks to the PCs of tomorrow. These devices will be fitted with the best CPUs, best GPUs and, now, NPUs to optimize performance and deliver power efficiency to run AI software.
Software companies will have access to Intel’s engineering talent to optimize their programs with tools such as OpenVINO, the open source toolkit for optimizing and deploying AI inference. The software that partners write spans audio effects, content creation, gaming, security, streaming, video collaboration, and others.
