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Intel is turning software into a new revenue-generating business division, based primarily on the AI obsession.
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Intel is the first to bring a true AI accelerator to a PC with Meteor Lake.
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Intel Xeon processors of the fifth generation will also debut on December 14.
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Next year, the Sierra Forest E-core processor will be available with 288 cores.
Intel has revealed plans to launch an AI PC, set to be released on December 14, featuring Intel Core Ultra processors with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU). The new processors, codenamed Meteor Lake, will include Intel's NPU for AI acceleration and local inference on the PC, representing an inflection point in client processing. The move is part of Intel's effort to compete with Nvidia and expand its presence in the AI space across various compute needs.
CEO of Intel, Pat Gelsinger, noted ‘AI Everywhere' in a keynote address, surprising some who haven't been paying attention with a December 14 launch date for the AI PC running Intel Core Ultra processors with a comparatively new acronym, NPU, for Neural Processing Unit. In July, he first described the upcoming AI PC era.
The AI PC is expected to launch worldwide, with Acer already planning to unveil a laptop powered by the Core Ultra processor. Intel's AI PC represents a significant development, as it brings a true AI accelerator to a PC. This allows for generative AI tasks to be performed locally, faster, and with higher levels of privacy and security. The AI PC is expected to play a crucial role in supporting AI workloads on local devices, such as PCs, mobile devices, and edge devices.
Analyst at J. Gold Associates, Jack Gold, stated,
The significance of AI on a PC is not to be overlooked, this is a big deal. Intel is the first to bring a true AI accelerator to a PC with Meteor Lake. Microsoft is even adding capabilities in next-gen Windows to access the NPU.
[Source: Fierce Electronics]
Local processing power becomes crucial as AI workloads increasingly run on local devices. This shift reduces the need to transfer data to the cloud, improving efficiency and reducing latency. It aims to leverage AI to transform the PC experience, emphasizing the synergy between cloud and PC. This will allow for personal productivity and creativity enhancements. Intel's Core Ultra processors will include Fovoros packaging, combining the NPU, Intel 4 process technology, and graphics capabilities with Intel Arc graphics.