In recent years, Intel has embarked on a bold and transformative journey to reclaim its position as a leader in semiconductor technology. This ambition is embodied in the creation and expansion of its Foundry business division, a strategic pivot aimed at not only recapturing lost ground against rivals like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and Samsung Electronics but also establishing Intel as a pivotal player in the global chip manufacturing landscape.

Despite facing significant financial challenges, Intel’s leadership under CEO Patrick Gelsinger has laid out a comprehensive roadmap for resurgence and growth.

Intel’s strategic pivot in the semiconductor space

The operational challenges facing Intel’s Foundry business have been stark. In 2023, the division reported operating losses of US$7 billion, a notable increase from US$5.2 billion the year prior, alongside a 31% drop in revenue. These figures, reflective of the intense competition and rapid technological evolution in the semiconductor industry, have prompted a strategic reassessment at Intel, as noted by Reuters.

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Amid these financial headwinds, Intel has undertaken significant structural and strategic shifts. One of the most critical moves has been the separation of manufacturing costs from the broader product development expenses on the income statement, creating a distinct category for Intel Foundry. This accounting realignment aims to provide a clearer picture of the foundry’s performance and the impact of production costs on Intel’s overall financial health.

At the heart of Intel’s strategy is a deep commitment to technological innovation and excellence. The company has announced ambitious plans to introduce five semiconductor process nodes over four years, a rapid pace of development aimed at leapfrogging competitors. A key focus is the advanced 18A technology, positioned as Intel’s counter to TSMC’s 3-nanometer node. With strong demand and several customer commitments already in place, the 18A technology represents a significant bet on Intel’s future in chip manufacturing.

Intel’s pivot to extreme ultraviolet (EUV) chip manufacturing technologies marks another critical aspect of its strategy. After initial hesitations that contributed to operational losses and competitive disadvantages, the adoption of EUV technology is expected to dramatically improve cost efficiency and product performance. This shift addresses past missteps and positions Intel favorably in the “post-EUV era,” as CEO Gelsinger highlighted.

Despite the current challenges, Intel’s outlook is optimistic. The company has outlined a path to break even by 2027, driven by efficiencies from EUV technology, reduced reliance on external contract manufacturers, and a growing portfolio of customer commitments. Intel’s ambitious investment of US$100 billion in expanding U.S. chip manufacturing facilities underscores its commitment to recovery and long-term dominance in the foundry space.

Intel’s US$7 billion loss spurs semiconductor industry reinvention (Source – X)

Expanding manufacturing footprint with federal support

Regarding this investment strategy, Reuters reported that Intel is embarking on an expansive effort to construct and enhance factories across four states in the U.S., buoyed by US$19.5 billion in federal grants and loans. Furthermore, the company is pursuing US$25 billion in tax incentives.

The focal point of this five-year initiative is to transform sprawling fields near Columbus, Ohio, into the world’s most significant AI chip production facility by as early as 2027, as explained by CEO Pat Gelsinger.

This influx of federal support comes courtesy of the CHIPS Act, underscoring the U.S. government’s commitment to revitalizing domestic semiconductor manufacturing.

Intel’s expansive blueprint includes upgrades to New Mexico and Oregon facilities and broadening its footprint in Arizona. This move comes as TSMC is also escalating its presence in Arizona, encouraged by President Joe Biden’s efforts to reinvigorate advanced semiconductor production in the U.S.

The financial aid from the Biden administration’s strategy to foster a semiconductor manufacturing renaissance is crucial for Intel’s recovery. Once a leader in producing the most advanced and compact semiconductors, the company saw its dominance wane in the 2010s as it fell behind TSMC, resulting in reduced profit margins from lowered prices to maintain market share with fewer products.

In 2021, Gelsinger unveiled a strategy to reinstate Intel’s position at the forefront of semiconductor manufacturing, acknowledging the need for governmental support to ensure profitability.

With this governmental backing secured, Intel is set to channel about 30% of its US$100 billion investment into construction, covering labor, piping, and concrete expenses. The remainder will finance the acquisition of chip-making equipment from companies like ASML, Tokyo Electron, Applied Materials, and KLA.

This equipment is pivotal for activating the Ohio site between 2027 and 2028, although Gelsinger cautioned that this timeline might extend if the semiconductor market faces downturns. Despite relying on grants and loans, Intel aims to fund most equipment purchases through its existing cash reserves.

Gelsinger has voiced that additional U.S. financial support for chip factories is essential for reasserting the country’s semiconductor manufacturing leadership, a sentiment he reiterated recently.

Despite federal support, Intel faces pressure to promptly demonstrate its competitiveness against Taiwanese and Korean rivals, according to Ben Bajarin, CEO of Creative Strategies.

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Vision 2030: Intel’s Foundry ambition

The strategic realignment towards its Foundry business and aggressive technological advancements reflect Intel’s broader vision. By 2030, Intel aims to become the world’s second-largest foundry, boasting operating margins driven by innovation, cost-efficiency, and a robust client base. This vision is buoyed by the current lifetime value of contracts for the Foundry business, which stands at US$15 billion, and the anticipated benefits of transitioning to EUV manufacturing technologies.

Intel’s journey through financial turbulence and strategic shifts in its Foundry business division is a testament to its resilience and determination to regain its leadership in the semiconductor industry. Through technological innovation, strategic restructuring, and financial investment, Intel is not just aiming to navigate its current challenges but positioning itself for a future where it leads the next wave of semiconductor manufacturing.

As the industry continues to evolve rapidly, Intel’s efforts to redefine its operational and strategic paradigms will be closely watched by competitors and partners alike, marking a new chapter in the global semiconductor landscape.

The post Intel reinvents in semiconductor industry amid US$7 billion loss appeared first on Tech Wire Asia.

The ongoing tension between China and the United States has escalated, with China implementing guidelines to phase out U.S. microprocessors in government computers and servers, including those from Intel and AMD. This initiative is part of Beijing’s broader strategy to replace foreign technology with domestic alternatives.

The Financial Times reports that this directive goes beyond hardware, targeting the replacement of Microsoft’s Windows operating system and foreign database software with local versions. This move is a reflection of China’s nationwide drive towards technological self-reliance, known as “xinchuang,” or IT application innovation.

China’s domestic focus and U.S. countermeasures

Amid increasing tensions, China’s latest procurement rules represent a substantial effort to cultivate domestic technological alternatives. These developments mirror actions in the U.S., where sanctions on Chinese companies for security reasons, legislation to enhance domestic tech production, and restrictions on advanced chip exports to China have intensified.

The rules, discreetly announced last December and effective this year, require government agencies and party organizations to prioritize “safe and reliable” technology for their IT purchases, focusing on domestically produced processors and operating systems.

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On the day the guidelines were introduced, China’s Information Technology Security Evaluation Center listed approved “safe and reliable” technologies, exclusively from Chinese sources, including processors from companies like Huawei and Phytium, which Washington blacklists. These processors utilize a mix of chip architectures, and the operating systems are derived from open-source Linux.

The shift towards domestic technology extends beyond the government sector. State-owned enterprises have been instructed to transition to local providers by 2027, which poses significant financial implications for U.S. tech giants like Intel, AMD, and Microsoft, all of which have substantial sales in China. The approval of their products in the future will require the sharing of detailed R&D documentation and evidence of significant local development.

China has started to block Intel and AMD chips in government computers (Source – X)

Local and provincial finance ministries are ensuring widespread compliance with the new guidelines, although some leeway remains for acquiring foreign technology. Nonetheless, the clear trend towards domestic technology is evident, with officials noting the necessity of additional justification for the purchase of foreign processors.

This inclination towards homegrown technology is anticipated to accelerate, particularly for server processors, due to the simpler transition of the software ecosystem, emphasizing China’s commitment to technological independence and the potential for a significant shift in global tech supply and demand dynamics.

What’s next for Intel and AMD?

The recent challenges faced by Intel and AMD, especially China’s initiative to eliminate U.S. microprocessors in favor of domestic options, emerge at a crucial time for both companies. For Intel, this unfolds as it embarks on an ambitious expansion in the United States, planning to create “the largest AI chip manufacturing site in the world” with a US$100 billion investment over five years.

Quartz has reported that Intel’s CEO, Pat Gelsinger, aims to establish a significant manufacturing site near Columbus, Ohio. This effort is part of a larger investment across four states, with potential construction starting as early as 2027. Supported by nearly $20 billion in federal funding and loans from the Biden administration’s CHIPS and Science Act, this initiative is designed to reinforce American semiconductor leadership.

The CHIPS and Science Act has allocated up to US$8.5 billion in direct funding for Intel, with eligibility for an additional US$11 billion in loans, to boost its semiconductor manufacturing presence in Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio, and Oregon.

During a recent event featuring President Joe Biden at Intel’s Arizona campus, Gelsinger underscored these investments’ national economic and security benefits. He highlighted the critical role of semiconductors in the digital transformation of society and argued that chip production is fundamental to the future of humanity.

Gelsinger also addressed the competitive dimension of these initiatives, emphasizing the importance of maintaining leadership in the semiconductor field, particularly in light of the U.S.-China chip rivalry and the rapid advancements in AI technology.

Despite the U.S.’s former dominance in semiconductor development, it now produces less than 10% of the world’s chips and is not involved in manufacturing the most advanced semiconductors.

Intel’s strategic investments are expected to generate approximately 80,000 jobs, including direct positions within the company, construction jobs, and indirect roles in supplier and related industries. Furthermore, Intel intends to take advantage of a tax credit from the U.S. Treasury Department, worth up to 25% on over US$100 billion in qualified investments.

This contrast between Intel’s aggressive U.S. expansion and the challenges posed by China’s new procurement policies outlines a complex scenario. For Intel, and by extension AMD, China’s move towards domestic technology could signify a considerable market loss.

However, Intel’s substantial investment in U.S. manufacturing and government support represents a strategic shift towards bolstering domestic semiconductor production. This is not merely an economic strategy but a measure of national security and technological sovereignty amidst global competition.

AMD’s innovative response in China

So, that’s what’s going on with Intel. However, AMD was also in the spotlight, as it was recently in China. AMD’s recent appearance in China, marked by the Ryzen AI PC Innovation Summit in Beijing, showcased the launch of the Ryzen 8040 series and 8000G desktop solutions tailored for the Chinese market.

The practice of AMD and Intel marking processors without onboard graphics with an “F” suffix, likely due to iGPU performance issues during manufacturing, presents a unique strategy. Instead of discarding these units, they are repurposed and sold at a lower price, appealing to PC enthusiasts who prioritize discrete graphics cards over integrated GPUs.

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Tom’s Hardware highlights that the Ryzen 7 8700F and Ryzen 5 8400F underscore AMD’s competitive strategy across various price points. This strategy ensures a comprehensive range of products, extending from the affordable Athlon 3000G to the Ryzen 5000 series, and now includes the Ryzen 8000 desktop APUs (without graphics), further expanding the options available to AM5 motherboard owners.

Although specifics for the Ryzen 7 8700F and Ryzen 5 8400F remain unknown (for now), it’s reasonable to infer they share similarities with the AMD Ryzen 8000G Series 65W Phoenix APUs, albeit without the iGPU. For instance, the Ryzen 7 8700G, with its 8-core/16-thread configuration based on the Zen 4 architecture, boasts boost speeds up to 5.1 GHz and a 65W TDP, alongside a powerful Radeon 780M GPU. The CPU specs for the F series are likely identical, with the notable absence of onboard graphics.

The lack of a Ryzen 5 8400G makes speculating about the Ryzen 5 8400F’s specifications challenging. However, it’s plausible that this new Ryzen 5 variant will feature a 6-core/12-thread (or possibly 6-core/6-thread) CPU configuration, adhering to the Zen 4 architecture but without integrated graphics.

It’s important to note that the Ryzen 7 8700F and Ryzen 5 8400F may be exclusive to the Chinese market, thereby circumventing speculation regarding their pricing relative to the G-suffixed counterparts. Although speculation from HXL suggests these products are intended solely for China, AMD’s region-specific offerings have historically found their way to international markets, as evidenced by the Radeon ‘Golden Rabbit Edition’ GPUs now available in Western retail settings.

This strategic maneuver by AMD, amidst Intel’s substantial investment in expanding U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, reflects the broader dynamics of global technology competition and adaptation. As both companies navigate the complexities of international markets and political tensions, their initiatives in China and the United States underline the intricate balance between local adaptation and global strategic positioning.

As China forges ahead with its plans for tech independence, the ripple effects are felt deeply by semiconductor heavyweights such as Intel and AMD. The unfolding scenario underscores a pivotal moment in the semiconductor sector, spotlighting the intricate dance between national ambitions and the interconnectedness of global technology ecosystems.

The post China’s new tech policies challenge Intel and AMD in a shifting landscape appeared first on Tech Wire Asia.

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2024, announcements in the automotive industry are always most highly anticipated. Apart from tech companies unveiling their latest innovations in various products and services, carmakers also showcase new models and features. But the automotive industry is just one part of CES 2024.

As expected, AI was center stage at this year’s CES, with most of the new products built on the technology’s use cases. That includes self-driving baby carriages, chatbots in cars as well as AI in beauty products. Among the big names participating were European and Chinese carmakers, mobile phone companies, and chip companies.

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Nvidia, which dominated most of the announcements at CES 2024, unveiled several new products for gaming laptops as well as new partnerships with EV carmakers in China. But apart from Nvidia, two other chip companies are hoping to not only make an impact at CES 2024 but also challenge Nvidia across the year with their products.

Intel and Qualcomm Technologies have long dominated the mobile and laptop market. The chips produced by these two companies continue to enable innovation in these devices as well. And with AI adoption increasing, both Intel and Qualcomm are hoping to play an important role in developing the technology with a big focus on the automotive industry.

Qualcomm Technologies announced breakthrough innovations across its Snapdragon Digital Chassis portfolio.

Qualcomm continues to innovate in the automotive industry

At CES 2024, Qualcomm Technologies announced breakthrough innovations across its Snapdragon Digital Chassis portfolio.  The company is in its twentieth year of supplying technology for the automotive industry, with revenue growing by double digits year-over-year, which has been driven by the increased adoption of Snapdragon Digital Chassis solutions.

“Our commitment to advancing automotive technology in support of global automakers, Tier-1 suppliers and our ecosystem partners is helping shape the future of software-defined vehicles and is accelerating us into a new era for the automotive industry,” said Nakul Duggal, SVP and general manager, automotive & cloud computing, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Some of the offerings by Qualcomm for the automotive industry. (Image – Qualcomm).

Some of the innovations announced include:

• Snapdragon Auto Connectivity Platform – the roadmap developed through Qualcomm’s decades of connectivity leadership. Automakers are being equipped to meet the increasing needs for higher levels of safety and intelligence powered by LTE, 5G, connected services, vehicle-to-everything (V2X), wi-fi, bluetooth, satellite communications and precise positioning.
• Snapdragon Cockpit Platform – the platform helps automakers create immersive, intuitive, and sophisticated in-vehicle experiences with its enhanced graphics, multimedia and AI capabilities.
• Snapdragon Chassis Platform – Qualcomm welcomes the era of AI for automotive and is using its industry-leading AI hardware and software solutions for the Snapdragon Digital Chassis Platform to help drive automotive AI forward. The Snapdragon Digital Cockpit Platforms are currently available with generative AI capabilities.
• Snapdragon Ride Platform – one of the automotive industry’s most advanced, scalable and customizable automated driving system-on-chip (SoC) family that is designed to help global automakers and Tier-1 suppliers build efficient automated driving (AD) solutions.
• Snapdragon Ride Flex – high-performance central compute SoCs that are designed to support mixed-criticality workloads across heterogenous compute resources, allowing for digital cockpit, advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) and AD functions to co-exist on a single SoC.
• Snapdragon Car to Cloud – allows new features and services to be added throughout the vehicle’s lifecycle for highly personalized experiences across all tiers – letting automakers and fleet providers stay directly connected to consumers beyond the point of sale.

Qualcomm is also offering the Snapdragon Digital Chassis SoCs for two-wheelers and new vehicle class segments. The Digital Chassis SoCs are designed to enhance safety and experiences for the end user, offering fully integrated solutions that bring connectivity, infotainment, advanced rider assistance systems (ARAS) and personalized, cloud-connected digital services to motorcycles, ICE and electric scooters, 3-wheelers, e-bikes, ATVs, and vehicles for farming and agriculture.

Qualcomm is also offering the Snapdragon Digital Chassis SoCs for two-wheelers and new vehicle class segments. (Image – Qualcomm).

Watch out Nvidia, Intel has big plans to take on the industry

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Intel also has big plans for the automotive market. At CES 2024, Intel announced that it plans to acquire Silicon Mobility, a fabless silicon and software company that specializes in SoCs for intelligent EV energy management. Silicon Mobility’s SoCs feature industry-leading accelerators purpose-built for energy delivery and co-designed with highly advanced software algorithms for significant gains in vehicle energy efficiency.

Last year, Intel sold off a small stake in Mobileye, a self-driving technology company. Should the Silicon Mobility acquisition go through, it will extend Intel’s reach in the vehicle beyond high-performance compute into intelligent and programmable power devices.

“Intel is taking a ‘whole vehicle’ approach to solving the industry’s biggest challenges. Driving innovative AI solutions across the vehicle platform will help the industry navigate the transformation to EVs. The acquisition of Silicon Mobility aligns with our sustainability goals while addressing a critical energy management need for the industry,” said Jack Weast, vice president and general manager of Intel Automotive.

Andy An (left), president of Geely Holding Group and CEO of Zeekr Intelligent Technology, greets Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger (center) and Jack Weast, vice president and general manager of Intel Automotive, on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, at CES in Las Vegas. (Credit: Intel Corporation).

Given that Nvidia has grown its influence in the EV industry, apart from the acquisition, Intel also has a new family of AI-enhanced software-defined vehicle system-on-chips (SoCs). China’s Zeekr will be the first original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to adopt the new SoC to deliver its generative AI-driven living room experiences to next-generation vehicles.

The new family of AI-enhanced SDV SoCs addresses a critical industry need for power and performance scalability. The family of SoCs features AI acceleration capabilities from Intel’s AI PC roadmap to enable the most desirable in-vehicle AI use cases, such as driver and passenger monitoring.

“Intel’s AI-enhanced SDV SoCs combine the best of AI PC and Intel data center technologies necessary to support a true software-defined vehicle architecture,” added Weast.

To ensure the strict quality and reliability requirements necessary for automotive use cases, Intel plans to work with R&D hub Imec. The R&D company will ensure Intel’s advanced chiplet packaging technologies meet the requirements set. The move underscores a commitment to be the first automotive supplier to support the integration of third-party chiplets into its automotive products.

Intel SoCs are in more than 50 million vehicles, powering infotainment, displays, digital instrument clusters and more. Intel’s expanded AI-enhanced “whole vehicle” roadmap will move the industry toward a more scalable, software-defined and sustainable future.

The post CES 2024: Intel and Qualcomm to take on Nvidia in automotive industry appeared first on Tech Wire Asia.

Investments in generative AI are pouring in and are expected only to increase in 2024. While there is increased demand for the technology, accessing it still remains a challenge for many organizations, especially with regulations clouding how they can actually use the technology.

While Open AI, Microsoft, Amazon and Google have announced huge plans to develop the technology in 2024, there have also been numerous startups entering the space, each offering their own unique capabilities. Nvidia has been dominating the supply of chips that are capable of ensuring the AI solutions work properly, but both AMD and Intel have announced the launch of their own chips, to take the fight to Nvidia’s market dominance.

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Intel has now announced an additional step forward though. Realizing the potential of providing generative AI solutions directly to businesses, the company has established Articul8 AI Inc. together with DigitalBridge. Articul8 is an autonomous entity that offers enterprise clients a comprehensive, vertically optimized, and secure generative artificial intelligence software platform.

The platform ensures that AI capabilities, along with customer data, training, and inference, remain within the confines of the enterprise security perimeter. Additionally, customers have the flexibility to choose between cloud, on-premises, or hybrid deployment options.

Articul8 is a generative AI enterprise software company.

Articul8 to promote generative AI adoption

Intel said that Articul8 originates from intellectual property (IP) and technology developed at Intel. Both companies will continue to align strategically on go-to-market initiatives, actively collaborating to promote generative AI adoption in the enterprise. Arun Subramaniyan, formerly vice president and general manager at Intel’s Data Center and AI Group, has taken on the role of CEO at Articul8.

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DigitalBridge Ventures, the venture arm of DigitalBridge, led the investment in Articul8. Intel, along with a consortium of established venture investors including Fin Capital, Mindset Ventures, Communitas Capital, GiantLeap Capital, GS Futures, and Zain Group, has secured an equity stake in the company.

“Every global enterprise today is challenged to integrate generative AI capabilities into their workflows. Articul8 has built a scalable and easy-to-deploy generative AI software platform that is already letting enterprises unlock value from their proprietary data. We see GenAI as a pivotal force driving digital infrastructure, and we are pleased to collaborate with Intel to support Articul8’s growth,” stated Marc Ganzi, DigitalBridge CEO.

Articul8 is poised to accelerate its go-to-market strategy and expand its product offerings for the broader generative AI ecosystem. (Image generated by AI).

A secure generative AI platform for enterprises

Articul8 aims to deliver a turnkey generative AI software platform that prioritizes speed, security, and cost-efficiency, which should help large enterprise clients to use and scale their use of generative AI. The platform was initially launched and optimized on Intel hardware architectures, including Intel Xeon Scalable processors and Intel Gaudi accelerators, but is adaptable to various hybrid infrastructure alternatives.

After an initial deployment at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the platform has been expanded to serve enterprise customers in sectors that require heightened security and specialized domain knowledge, such as financial services, aerospace, semiconductors, and telecommunications.

“Generative AI is at the forefront of our clients’ business strategy and needs. Our collaboration began nearly two years ago while the venture was still in the incubation stage at Intel. Since then, we have deployed Articul8 products for multiple clients seeking production-ready platforms with rapid time to market,” commented Rich Lesser, global chair of BCG.

Articul8 aims to expand its product offerings for the broader generative AI ecosystem. (image generated by AI).

Features of Articul8

Articul8 claims to have less than 100 millisecond search latency, unlimited token usage and over a thousand concurrent users. Apart from that, it is able to deploy enterprise-grade generative AI applications orders of magnitude faster than alternative options in the market. This includes having production pilots ready in less than eight weeks.

At the same time, Articul8 costs three times less than consumption-based offerings. Its sustainable total cost of ownership with vertically integrated generative AI software is optimized for price performance, with predictable subscription license-based pricing.

Another feature is that the Articul8 generative AI platform can be deployed in multiple clouds and on-premises across a variety of accelerators, avoiding any vendor lock-in. Articul8 also has dedicated technical support from a team of generative AI experts, with continuous model and software updates.

The post Intel launches Articul8, an independent enterprise generative AI company appeared first on Tech Wire Asia.

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the AI chips market stands at the forefront of innovation, driving unprecedented advancements across diverse industries. These specialized processors, crucial for accelerating AI computations, play pivotal roles in applications spanning data centers, cloud computing, edge devices, and personal electronics. As the demand for enhanced machine learning capabilities continues to soar, industry giants like Intel, AMD, and Nvidia are engaging in fierce competition to deliver cutting-edge AI chips, surpassing escalating performance expectations.

In the high-stakes race for AI accelerators, AMD, too, has thrown its hat into the ring, gearing up to challenge Nvidia’s dominance. The company, traditionally known for its CPUs and GPUs, only recently unveiled its most advanced GPU for AI, the MI300X, which is capable of performing 1.4 to 1.6 times better than the competition in the inference market. According to AMD’s CEO Lisa Sui, this represents a solid challenge to Nvidia, which currently dominates the market for AI chips with over 80% market share.

With AMD boldly predicting that the market for AI accelerators could soar beyond the US$400 billion mark within the next four years, the tech arena is about to witness a seismic shift as AMD aims to reshape the future of accelerated computing. But as anticipated by market experts, more players, especially tech giants, will be making their own forays into the AI chips market, or will at least up the ante of their current portfolio – mainly to challenge Nvidia’s dominance, mainly on the grounds that nobody but a monopolist enjoys existing in a monopoly. 

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At this year’s AI Everywhere event on December 14, Intel joined the likes of AMD by unveiling a constellation of new chips set to redefine the landscape of AI hardware still further.

Intel’s new AI chips

Stepping into the booming AI market with gusto, Intel’s latest offerings include revamped Xeon server chips—marking the second overhaul for those chips in less than a year. The Xeon chips have been redesigned to catapult Intel to the forefront of AI innovation by promising heightened performance and memory capabilities while requiring less electricity. 

The spotlight is also falling on Intel’s Ultra Core chips, which allow laptops and desktops to wield AI prowess directly. Amid its chip lineup, Intel added the Gaudi 3, the newest addition to a lineage that aims to challenge Nvidia’s industry-dominating H100. AI accelerators play a pivotal role in birthing chatbots and delivering many swiftly emerging services. With Gaudi 3 slated for a 2024 release, Intel is boldly asserting its superiority over the H100, setting the stage for an AI showdown.

Intel’s CEO, Pat Gelsinger, is betting on the transformative power of AI to breathe new life into the company as it navigates through the shadows of past missteps and a PC market lull. But the playing field has never been more intense. Intel’s arch-nemesis, AMD has deftly seized portions of the PC and server market while Intel has been forced to grapple with the unsettling reality of major clients meking their chips in-house.

Gelsinger predicts AI everywhere with new Intel chips. Source: Intel’s X

In this tech maelstrom, Nvidia emerges as a formidable titan, dominating SPACE’s data center chip with its AI accelerators. The success of these products has propelled Nvidia’s valuation to US$1.1 trillion, setting the stage for a historic revenue overtake of Intel in 2023, as per industry analysts’ projections.

In the throes of this seismic shift, Intel, once the uncontested giant in the chipmaking realm, now charts a course through a fiercely competitive landscape where the winds of change are blowing at gale force.

Intel has AI chips “for all”

At the AI Everywhere event in the heart of New York City, Intel unveiled a portfolio of AI products to enable customers’ AI solutions everywhere — across the data center, cloud, network, edge, and PC. “Intel is on a mission to bring AI everywhere through exceptionally engineered platforms, secure solutions, and support for open ecosystems. Our AI portfolio gets even stronger with today’s launch of Intel Core Ultra, ushering in the age of the AI PC and AI-accelerated 5th Gen Xeon for the enterprise,” Gelsinger said.

Pat Gelsinger, Intel CEO, speaks at Intel’s AI Everywhere event on Thursday, 14 Dec 2023, in New York City. (Credit: Intel Corporation).

Intel’s latest innovation, the Intel Core Ultra, marks a significant architectural shift after four decades, ushering in a new era for AI-powered PCs and applications. This transformative technology encompasses CPU computing, graphics, power efficiency, and battery life advancements and introduces cutting-edge AI features. Unsurprisingly, projections suggest that AI PCs will dominate 80% of the market by 2028.

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Featuring Intel’s first client on-chip AI accelerator, the neural processing unit (NPU), the Core Ultra achieves 2.5 times better power efficiency for AI acceleration than its predecessor. Partnering with over 100 software vendors, Intel plans to bring hundreds of AI-boosted applications to the PC market, promising a diverse range of creative, productive, and enjoyable experiences. 

The coming of Gaudi 3

The Core Ultra-based AI PCs are available from select US retailers for the holiday season, with plans to expand to over 230 designs worldwide in the next year. Then there’s the newly introduced 5th Gen Xeon processor family, which signifies a substantial advancement in performance and efficiency across the data center, cloud, network, and edge computing. 

Compared to the previous generation, these processors boast a remarkable 21% average performance gain for general computing, enabling a 36% higher average performance per watt across various customer workloads. Upgrading to the 5th Gen Xeon can result in a 77% reduction in total cost of ownership (TCO) for customers on a typical five-year refresh cycle.

Intel claims that Xeon is the only mainstream data center processor with built-in AI acceleration, with the new 5th Gen Xeon delivering up to 42% higher inference and fine-tuning on models as large as 20 billion parameters. “It’s also the only CPU with a consistent and ever-improving set of MLPerf training and inference benchmark results,” Intel contends.

During the event, IBM announced that 5th Gen Intel Xeon processors achieved up to 2.7x better query throughput on its watsonx.data platform than previous-generation Xeon processors during testing. Google Cloud, which will deploy 5th Gen Xeon next year, noted that Palo Alto Networks experienced a 2x performance boost in its threat detection deep learning models using built-in acceleration in 4th Gen Xeon through Google Cloud.

 And indie game studio Gallium Studios turned to Numenta’s AI platform running on Xeon processors to improve inference performance by 6.5x over a GPU-based cloud instance, saving cost and latency in its AI-based game, Proxi11.

Concluding the event, Gelsinger shared an update on the upcoming Intel Gaudi 3, which is set to debut next year. Revealing it for the first time, he showcased the next-generation AI accelerator designed for deep learning and creating large-scale generative AI models. Intel’s Gaudi pipeline has experienced rapid expansion, driven by proven performance advantages and competitive Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) pricing.

 As the demand for generative AI solutions continues to rise, Intel aims to secure a significant share of the accelerator market in 2024, driven by its suite of AI accelerators and led by Gaudi.

“Can Intel chase down Nvidia?” We’ll know next year…

The post Intel unleashes AI chips for PCs and data centers, challenging AMD and Nvidia appeared first on Tech Wire Asia.

As we stand on the cusp of a technological renaissance, the personal computer industry, once perceived as heading towards stagnation, is experiencing a revival of fortune and innovation. Intel and AMD, the stalwarts of this sector, have not only signaled a robust recovery in the PC market but are leading the charge into a bold new era marked by the advent of AI in personal computing.

This rejuvenation, hinted at through their recent earnings, is more than just a fleeting rebound; it heralds a transformative shift in how we interact with technology.

At the heart of this resurgence are the insights shared by Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger and AMD CEO Lisa Su. Both visionaries underscore the stabilizing PC market and foresee the integration of AI as a pivotal catalyst for growth. The concept of AI-enabled PCs – machines equipped with advanced chips capable of running sophisticated large-language models and applications natively, marks a paradigm shift from cloud-based to local AI computations.

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This leap forward not only promises enhanced performance and capabilities, but opens the door to an array of innovations previously thought impractical in a PC environment.

The vision of AMD and Intel for AI in personal computing

Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger remarked, “The arrival of the AI PC represents an inflection point in the PC industry.” Lisa Su of AMD anticipates growth into 2024, aligning it with the new AI PC cycle and upcoming Microsoft Windows updates.

AI-powered PCs, integrated with sophisticated processors capable of independently running large-scale language models and applications, move away from traditional cloud dependency. This development in AI PCs has been prominently featured in Intel’s recent AI PC Acceleration Program.

Reuters reported that in its most recent quarter, AMD’s segment focusing on PCs recorded its best performance in two years, while Intel’s PC division experienced its least rapid decline in revenue in eight quarters.

Justin Sumner, a senior portfolio manager at Voya Investment Management and investor in both AMD and Intel, observed a notable increase in PC demand, attributed to various pandemic-induced factors like remote working.

Sumner noted, “We are finally starting to see a bottoming of this trend. This should lead to a typical inventory refresh and an improvement in the market.”

A graph shows AMD and Intel’s chip divisions recover after post-pandemic decline. (Source – Reuters)

Computer manufacturers have been actively reducing their stockpile, anticipating a surge in demand over the holiday season and anticipation of a forthcoming Windows update from Microsoft next year.

Market research from organizations like Canalys bolsters these projections. Following a moderate drop in global PC shipments in the third quarter, Canalys anticipates a return to growth in the market during the eagerly awaited holiday season. They predict a rapid uptake of AI-enabled PCs beginning in 2025, expecting them to comprise approximately 60% of all PC shipments by 2027.

Yet, some investors point out the scarcity of AI applications as a potential obstacle to widespread adoption. Currently, Microsoft is the sole major player offering such technology with its genAI-powered Copilot software, which was launched for Microsoft 365 enterprise clients.

Dave Egan, a senior research analyst at Columbia Threadneedle and investor in both AMD and Intel, said, “It is still unclear to us that there is a “killer app” which will spur this upgrade cycle.”

Dell Technologies and Meta partner for on-premises generative AI with Llama 2

Adding another layer to the AI narrative is the recent partnership between Dell Technologies and Meta. This collaboration aims to simplify the deployment of Meta’s Llama 2 models in Dell customer environments through Dell’s comprehensive generative AI infrastructure, covering IT hardware, client devices, and professional services.

Chris Kelly, senior vice president of data center sales at Dell Technologies for Asia Pacific and Japan, remarked that this integration will enable widespread deployment of generative AI across various locations, with many businesses preferring on-site implementations considering factors like data privacy, security, and the influence of data gravity.

“The integration of Meta’s Llama 2 models into Dell’s generative AI portfolio will help organizations accelerate their digital transformation, enhancing how they engage with customers, employees and the market more broadly, to turn valuable insights into action,” Kelly added.

Deploying Meta’s Llama 2 AI models on-premises. (Source – Shutterstock)

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This partnership eases the implementation of AI on-site by merging Dell’s leading infrastructure suite with Meta’s Llama 2 AI models. That lets customers speed up their GenAI projects in traditional data centers or edge locations. Dell’s integration of Meta’s Llama 2 models into their system configuration tools aids clients in selecting optimal solutions for their AI-driven initiatives.

The Dell Validated Design for Generative AI featuring Meta’s Llama 2 offers a comprehensive package of tested Dell infrastructure, software, and services, simplifying the deployment and management of on-site projects. Detailed guidance on setup and configuration allows organizations to quickly establish and predictably operate their GenAI infrastructure.

With the combination of Meta’s Llama 2 and Dell’s wide-ranging generative AI Solutions technology and services, organizations of various sizes can access robust tools, facilitating the delivery of GenAI solutions from personal desktop environments to main data centers, edge locations, and public clouds.

All the big players are focusing on localized AI.

The post How Intel and AMD are redefining the future of AI in PCs appeared first on Tech Wire Asia.

Intel is no stranger when it comes to AI, actively targeting the promising prospects it offers.

Foreseeing a future where the upcoming generation of personal computers will have the innate ability to execute AI inference operations, Intel is aligning its strategies to make this vision a reality. An executive from Dell Technologies has anticipated the arrival of AI-enabled laptops by 2024, a development Intel is keen on catalyzing.

The competition is heating up in the arena of supplying chips essential for the development and inference of substantial AI language models. Nvidia has established a stronghold in the GPU market, a critical component in data centers for advancing AI models.

But Intel and the freshly public Arm are spotting avenues where CPUs can execute AI inference tasks directly on portable devices like laptops and smartphones, considering that Nvidia’s premium GPUs are not viable for personal computing due to their size and cost.

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Integrating AI capabilities directly into laptops could pivot the entire PC industry, letting users operate generative AI programs natively, and eliminating the need for continuous cloud connectivity.

Despite these advancements, predicting the PC’s future landscape remains challenging, especially with AI’s disruptive emergence, as highlighted by industry experts.

Recent forecasts by analyst group IDC anticipate a resurgence in demand for PCs by 2024, following a lull after the pandemic. This projection aligns with Gartner’s analysis and seems plausible considering the impending end of support for Windows 10 in 2025, prompting widespread system updates across IT departments.

Intel announces industry’s first AI PC Acceleration Program. (Source – Intel)

How AI is reshaping the PC landscape

However, IDC underscores the complications brought on by the burgeoning field of generative AI. The report indicates a sense of uncertainty among IT decision-makers regarding budget allocations. Furthermore, a transformative wave seems imminent for the traditional PC, allowing it to handle certain AI operations dependent on cloud connectivity. It is a critical enhancement for real-time gaming or language translation applications.

IDC’s experts concur, noting, “While AI-capable PCs are not ready today, they are coming, and have shifted some of the discussion around device purchasing within businesses.”

In a noteworthy twist, IDC’s findings also reveal increasing market shares for AMD and Apple in the PC processor realm, capturing 11% and 5% in the previous year. This trend could signal one of the most significant market shifts in the history of commercial PCs.

AMD is getting increasing market share. (Source – Shutterstock)

In light of these developments, Intel announced the launch of the AI PC Acceleration Program at Innovation 2023. This global initiative is intended to expedite AI advancements throughout the PC sector.

Unveiling the AI PC Acceleration Program

The program is designed to connect independent hardware and software vendors to an array of Intel resources, including AI toolchains, co-engineering, hardware, design expertise, technical support, and co-marketing prospects. These provisions are set to assist the community in leveraging the full potential of Intel Core Ultra processor technologies and related hardware, optimizing AI and ML application efficiency, hastening the development of new applications, and bridging the broader PC industry with emerging solutions within the AI PC domain.

The dawning of the AI PC era symbolizes a pivotal moment in the PC industry, characterized by a growing suite of software augmented by AI and ML protocols. Such applications are revolutionizing how individuals engage in creative endeavors, compile information, and enhance productivity.

Intel is leading this shift, offering potent architectures for CPUs, GPUs, and NPUs, fine-tuning AI programs’ functionality and energy efficacy.

Intel’s CEO, Pat Gelsinger, tweeted that Intel’s plan is to bring AI everywhere. (Source – X)

Intel’s vision: ushering in the age of AI PCs

Michelle Johnston Holthaus, executive vice president and general manager of the Client Computing Group at Intel, said that Intel understands the crucial role of software prowess in defining the AI PC user experience and is poised to guide the sector through its inclusive ecosystem strategy.

“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,” Holthaus added.

The AI PC Acceleration Program pledges to offer ISVs direct access to Intel’s extensive array of engineering professionals for bespoke software refinement and adjustments, essential development instruments, and SDKs such as OpenVINO, alongside lucrative market entry opportunities.

By collaborating with over 100 ISVs on upwards of 300 AI-boosted functionalities – encompassing names like Adobe, Audacity, BlackMagic, BufferZone, CyberLink, DeepRender, Fortemedia, MAGIX, Rewind AI, Skylum, Topaz, VideoCom, Webex, Wondershare Filmora, XSplit, and Zoom – Intel aims to augment user experiences in diverse domains including audio enhancements, content generation, gaming, cybersecurity, live streaming, video conferencing, and beyond.

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The AI PC Acceleration Program serves as a continuation of the Intel Partner Alliance’s AI Accelerator Initiative, offering a structured collaborative method for over 1,000 ISV partners. This approach facilitates the development, refinement, and implementation of AI solutions, spanning from edge computing to cloud services.

The post Intel releases the industry’s first AI PC Acceleration Program appeared first on Tech Wire Asia.

Alright, let’s be honest—everyone’s engrossed in the clash among AMD, Nvidia, and Intel. It’s thrilling to witness these tech titans square off in the realms of CPUs and GPUs. However, the debates often cloud consumer judgment with misinformation and bias. But by breaking down the latest innovations from each company and doing a non-partisan CPU comparison, we can more clearly appreciate what is being presented to us by each of the big players.

Historically, choosing between these three was simple. Intel and Nvidia dominated high performance, while AMD was budget-friendly. But times have changed.

Now, AMD offers robust hardware, and Intel is stepping into discrete graphics. The lines are blurring, making this an exciting time for tech enthusiasts – and a challenging time for consumers.

Staunch brand loyalty often creates misguided perceptions about product quality, especially on platforms like Reddit and Facebook.

Additionally, the companies themselves fan these flames by setting up products in direct competition, even when comparisons are between apples and oranges. Instead of getting caught up in the chaos, let’s focus on each company’s technological advancements.

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The new AMD EPYC 8004 Series processors – a CPU comparison

AMD just rolled out its new AMD EPYC 8004 series processors, completing the 4th Generation AMD EPYC CPU lineup optimized for various workloads.

This latest introduction incorporates the “Zen 4c” core, allowing hardware manufacturers to craft energy efficient platforms ideal for various applications, from the smart edge, like retail and manufacturing, to data centers catering to cloud services and storage.

As per Dan McNamara, the senior vice president and general manager of server business at AMD, the EPYC 8004 Series continues AMD’s commitment to delivering CPUs that excel in energy efficiency and are specifically tailored for space-restricted and power-sensitive environments.

“AMD has delivered multiple generations of data center processors that provide outstanding efficiency, performance, and innovative features. Now with our 4th Gen EPYC CPU portfolio complete, that leadership continues across a broad set of workloads – from enterprise and cloud, to intelligent edge, technical computing and more,” McNamara further elaborated.

AMD EPYC 8004 series processor half delidded. (Source – AMD)

Much improved traditional data centers and intelligent edge

The latest EPYC 8004 series enhances the performance and efficiency benchmarks set by the 4th Gen EPYC, designed specifically for markets valuing energy conservation, compact designs, and noise reduction. What can you anticipate?

• Energy-saving at the edge: by leveraging the ‘Zen 4c’ cores and the newly introduced SP6 socket, these CPUs offer double the SPECpower efficiency per watt compared to top competitors.
• Balanced offerings: in confined spaces, the EPYC 8004 series offers unparalleled performance and efficiency, with the EPYC 8324P outclassing its nearest competitor by 1.16 times in video encoding tasks.
• Monetary advantages: in edge applications involving smaller server clusters, deploying the EPYC 8004 series could result in substantial energy cost savings over a half-decade, while also providing better core density and data throughput.

Moreover, multiple OEMs and collaborators have showcased a variety of unique systems and solutions optimized for the capabilities of the AMD EPYC 8004 series processors. These systems cover various operating parameters, from densely packed data centers to telecom infrastructure in urban settings to challenging environments like factory floors.

For instance, Dell Technologies has launched the Dell PowerEdge C6615 server, specifically engineered to optimize performance without compromising the total cost of ownership (TCO) for scale-out workloads such as containers and microservices.

In the words of Travis Vigil, the senior vice president of product management at Dell Technologies, “Our Dell PowerEdge C6615 with AMD EPYC Gen4 CPUs is purpose-built to deliver its best performance per watt per dollar in a density-optimized form factor.”

“The solution is engineered to maximize compute performance in air-cooled environments without having to alter power or cooling capabilities,” said Vigil. “When combined with Dell OpenManage Enterprise software, we enable cloud service providers to intelligently monitor their systems and deliver more efficient compute services.”

Similarly, Supermicro has rolled out new edge platforms incorporating the AMD EPYC 8004 series. These platforms are designed for edge and telco data centers based on Supermicro’s H13 generation of WIO Servers.

Supermicro has rolled out new edge platforms incorporating the AMD EPYC 8004 series. (Source – AMD)

Vik Malyala, president of EMEA and senior vice president of Worldwide FAE, solutions and business, accentuated the versatility of the AMD EPYC 8004 series, saying, “These CPUs, combined with Supermicro’s innovative and energy-efficient servers with AC/DC power options, offer superior value for our customers and extend support for intelligent edge and next-generation Telco markets.”

CPU comparison – the upcoming Intel’s 14th Gen

There’s a buzz in the tech community that Intel’s 14th generation CPUs are swiftly nearing their debut. Although the official release isn’t happening imminently, it’s approaching. Based on information from Videocardz, the Raptor Lake Refresh series under the 14th Gen umbrella is due for an unveiling on October 17, with comprehensive reviews likely to surface on October 16.

Intel has traditionally initiated its new launches in the last few iterations by introducing the ‘K’ models. It appears that this pattern will continue for this forthcoming launch. We can anticipate the first wave to include models like the i9 14900K, i7 14700K, and i5 14600K, along with their integrated graphics-free ‘KF’ variants. The 65W non-‘K’ models are expected to make an appearance later, possibly around the time of the CES event in early January, as was the case with the 13th Gen models.

The i9 14900K is poised to be the go-to option for enthusiasts, boasting the highest clock speeds and core counts. Provided that Intel has no secretive architectural revisions, its performance is likely to position itself slightly above the existing i9 13900KS.

What can we expect from Intel? (Source – Shutterstock)

The i7 14700K, on the other hand, is slated for a significant expansion in its e-core count, moving from 8 to 16. This upgrade will render it an appealing choice for those who want robust performance but wish to avoid the power consumption and thermal output that comes with the 14900K.

The i5 14600K is gearing up to be another formidable contender. While it may not benefit from increased core count, it will feature higher clock speeds. Suppose it can be considered an enhanced version of the i5 13600K. In that case, it’s likely to usurp the 13600K’s standing as the preferred gaming CPU—provided it doesn’t experience a noticeable spike in power consumption relative to its modest performance gains.

Intel’s Innovation Event will kick off in San Jose on September 19. The roster of speakers is expected to delve into a range of subjects such as artificial intelligence, solutions for enterprises, and the upcoming Meteor Lake architecture. But they will probably also shed some light on Intel’s forthcoming desktop CPU plans. An official launch date announcement seems plausible during this event.

Nvidia’s AI superchip sweeps MLPerf inference benchmarks

In the case of Nvidia, it’s noteworthy that during its inaugural appearance in the MLPerf industry benchmarks, the GH200 Grace Hopper superchip completed all the assessments related to data center inference. This feat further elevates the already impressive performance credentials of Nvidia’s H100 Tensor Core GPUs.

The aggregate findings underscore the superior performance and adaptability of Nvidia’s AI framework, extending from cloud-based operations to edge computing. The GH200 superchip merges a Hopper GPU with a Grace CPU, offering an integrated solution that grants expanded memory, greater bandwidth, and the versatility to dynamically redistribute power between the CPU and GPU for performance optimization.

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Systems built on the Nvidia HGX H100 platform, which incorporates eight H100 GPUs, set a new high-water mark for throughput across this cycle’s MLPerf inference tests.

The Grace Hopper superchips and H100 GPUs were the frontrunners in all the evaluations conducted by MLPerf for data centers. That includes a spectrum of applications ranging from computer vision and speech recognition to medical image analysis and high-complexity use cases like recommendation systems and large language models that are integral to generative AI techniques.

In summary, these results perpetuate Nvidia’s lead in AI training and inference performance, a streak that has been unbroken since the MLPerf benchmarks were first established in 2018.

Final thoughts on CPU comparison

The tech world is evolving rapidly, and the age-old battles between AMD, Intel, and Nvidia are intensifying. Yet it’s crucial to note that these competitions drive the technological advancements from which we all benefit. AMD’s strides in energy-efficient processors, Intel’s much-anticipated 14th generation CPUs, and Nvidia’s groundbreaking work in AI all testify to the incredible pace of innovation in the industry.

However, as consumers, navigating the myriad options with a discerning eye is essential. Brand loyalty can sometimes cloud our judgment, especially when choosing hardware based on complex and varied criteria like power efficiency, computational speed, and cost. Forums and social media platforms are awash with biases and misinformation, making it even more imperative for buyers to perform due diligence, especially as these tech giants continue to broaden their offerings.

AMD, Intel, and NVIDIA being compared. (Source – X)

So, rather than getting caught up in the continuous brand wars, let’s focus on the rich selection of cutting-edge technologies at our disposal. Whether you’re a casual user, a gaming enthusiast, or a professional needing server-grade capabilities, the robust competition between AMD, Intel, and Nvidia ensures that there’s something out there for everyone.

And that is something worth celebrating.

The post Should we still care about the CPU comparison between AMD, Intel, and Nvidia? appeared first on Tech Wire Asia.

Over the past six months, the field of artificial intelligence (AI) has seen astonishing progress. Advanced generative AI tools have rapidly become a topic of mainstream conversation. As a result, many organizations are reevaluating their strategies for digital transformation, which brings both novel challenges and opportunities. A focus on AI investments is becoming an integral part of these evolving strategies.

For IT leaders, the rapid advancements in AI technology present both complications and potential gains. A recent survey by AMD highlighted that 75% of global IT leaders are hopeful about the positive impact of AI—from streamlining workforce tasks to fortifying cybersecurity. Additionally, over two-thirds of these leaders are ramping up their investments in AI capabilities.

The uncertainties in AI adoption: What’s holding back investments?

Implementing generative AI though is not an walk in the park for many companies. The path toward AI adoption is fraught with uncertainties, mainly driven by three key concerns:

• While there’s general enthusiasm about AI’s potential for enhancing security measures, 67% of IT leaders are apprehensive that it could introduce novel security and governance risks.
• 52% believe their current IT setups are inadequate for managing the computational demands of AI.
• The effort and resources required to educate the workforce about AI are substantial, although the exact requirements are unclear, and will change from organization to organization.

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Despite these reservations, particularly around security and training needs, it’s evident that early adopters of AI are reaping significant benefits—a staggering 90% of organizations that have prioritized AI report noticeable improvements in workplace efficiency.

Matthew Unangst, AMD’s Senior Director for Commercial Client and Workstation, emphasizes the advantage of being a trailblazer in AI adoption. Although enterprises are beginning to recognize the value of AI, a comprehensive implementation strategy is essential to prevent falling behind the curve.

“Open software ecosystems, with high-performance hardware, are essential, and AMD believes in a multi-faceted approach of leveraging AI IP across our full portfolio of products to the benefit of our partners and customers,” said Unangst.

There’s growing recognition among IT leaders of the potential offered by AI-enabled technologies—and they
are ramping up investments accordingly. (Image – AMD)

Semiconductors and AI

2023 has proven to be a favorable year for semiconductor firms, mainly due to the expanding role of AI. This growth has been a game-changer for many chip manufacturers previously struggling with sluggish PC, smartphone, and consumer electronics sales.

Semiconductors are indispensable in training extensive AI models and executing inferencing tasks. They allow for the practical application of trained models, enabling them to make predictions based on fresh data inputs.

As the global urgency to combat climate change intensifies, semiconductors are becoming critical in facilitating essential research and developing more energy-efficient systems. AMD is actively pursuing a 30x improvement in energy efficiency in their processors and accelerators slated for AI and High-Performance Computing (HPC) by 2025. For 2023, the company is well on its way to achieving a 13.5x efficiency boost from its 2020 baseline.

To equip IT leaders with top-tier computing platforms for AI implementations, AMD is committed to innovating across its entire product lineup—from cloud solutions to edge computing and end-user devices. It is also fostering collaborations with open, industry-standard software platforms.

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AMD rolled out its inaugural AMD Ryzen 7040 Series processors earlier this year. Selected models feature a Ryzen AI Engine that supports Windows Studio Effects and Ryzen AI developer tools, creating unique user experiences and opening up new possibilities for AI functionalities directly within laptops.

AMD Ryzen AI technology presented – as more businesses set to make AI investments. (Source – YouTube)

By offering a dedicated AI engine for mobile computing, several advantages emerge:

• Personalized and secure employee experiences through local AI model execution.
• Improved power efficiency, leading to heightened productivity and connectivity.
• Enhanced organizational capacity to manage AI workloads, thanks to enabling next-gen software on laptops.

Modernizing on-premise data centers is also a priority. By adopting the latest AMD EPYC processors, businesses can drastically reduce their infrastructure requirements by up to 70%.

A Tweet by AMD CEO on some of their big chip announcements in June.

The competitive landscape: Who’s who in semiconductor chips?

Regarding the fiercely competitive landscape of semiconductor manufacturers, AMD, Nvidia, and Intel are key players. In a head-to-head comparison between Nvidia and AMD, the latter has experienced relatively sluggish growth and lower revenue returns. For example, AMD’s MI250 chip performs at about 80% of the speed of Nvidia’s A100 chip.

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Yet it’s important to note that AMD recently disclosed specifics about its forthcoming AMD Instinct MI300X accelerator, which it touts as the pinnacle of generative AI technology. This accelerator promises to deliver the computational and memory efficiencies essential for training and utilizing expansive language models.

To round off its offering, AMD is also launching a robust, open-source AI software environment via its AMD ROCm ecosystem, specifically tailored for data center acceleration.

On the other side of the equation, Intel’s performance has been lackluster, evidenced by consecutive years of declining revenue and a near-absent footprint in the AI chip market. Although traditionally a dominant force in CPU production, Intel’s venture into AI has been riddled with challenges. For instance, its Sapphire Rapids processor has been plagued by years-long delays, mainly due to intricate design complexities and multiple technical snags.

Looking to the future, all three tech giants have signaled an intention to expand their portfolios of AI products. This ambition is easily understood, given that platforms like ChatGPT reportedly operate on an infrastructure of 10,000 Nvidia A100 chips, a setup that would command an estimated total cost of about US$100 million.

Beyond AMD’s emphasis on AI technologies, the company is deeply committed to fostering diversity within its ranks, and enhancing gender representation in engineering roles. AMD takes pride in a high retention rate for female engineers and is cultivating an inclusive work environment.

An overwhelming 92% of AMD’s worldwide staff attest to the company’s success in creating an atmosphere where diversity is celebrated. Complementing this, AMD continues to channel investments into STEM education, partnering with schools and non-profit organizations to further this mission.

On June 13th, 2023, AMD announced the products, strategy and ecosystem partners that will shape the future of computing, highlighting the next phase of data center innovation.

The post AMD: AI is transforming businesses, and companies are ramping up investments appeared first on Tech Wire Asia.

Since its inception, corporate universities have been an effective model for businesses to ingrain the value of learning among employees even after they graduate from educational institutions. More importantly, McKinsey reports businesses are acutely aware of the importance of learning in today’s modern business environment  — especially with the chatter surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) replacing traditional roles. 

When pioneers such as General Motors and General Electric started offering standardized in-house training programs about 100 years ago, they focused on imparting lower-level, day-to-day skills. 

In the 1900s, it would have been fanciful to imagine the full-fledged academics that would emerge in later decades — but corporate universities today have made their way into the 21st century. Think McDonald’s Hamburger University or true learning institutions for global corporations such as Apple, Google, Intel, and many more. 

💼 Did you know Gen Z actually hates working from home?

You might assume that young professionals would be at the forefront of the push for remote work, but they’re actually the ones who are craving time in the office the most, @akiito7 writes. 👇https://t.co/43ZfP61HYC

— Insider Business (@BusinessInsider) July 13, 2022

Do Gen Z prefer corporate universities? 

Those born between 1999 and 2010 have different needs. As a generation shaped by the digital age, climate anxiety, and most recently, COVID-19, they entered the workforce at an unprecedented time — most current entry-level talent has only ever worked remotely or in hybrid settings, according to Forbes. 

Recent survey results, however, show that this generation of workers is eager to return back to the office. The biggest reason for this is physical interaction, which is where corporate universities or campus offices come into play.

Here are some of the biggest benefits businesses and employees enjoy when they establish a corporate university:

• Increased talent retention: Corporate universities increase potential employee retention by providing them with the chance to learn new skills and stay updated with industry trends.

• Attract top talent: Corporate universities help attract top talent by showcasing the company’s commitment to the professional development of its staff — a win-win combination for both employer and employee.
• Reinforces culture: A corporate university aligns with the brand and culture and helps solidify them across employees.
• Supports innovation: Corporate universities are breeding grounds for new thoughts and ideas since their structure fosters natural discussion and collaboration among students.

Googleplex, Apple University, Disney University: Six iconic corporate universities for employees

1. Google’s Googleplex

Googleplex — Google’s Mountain View complex — might be the closest a corporate university has been to a traditional university experience. 

Here, the magic of Google’s corporate learning happens. Employees can:

• Explore spontaneous interactions with each other as learners
• Enjoy the campus’ architecture, which embodies Google’s soul —made of its innovative brand and groundbreaking culture
• Spend up to 20% of the work week on pet projects that uplift their ambition to stratospheric levels

“We’ve always worked with people who were a mix of left and right brain,” says Clive Wilkinson, who designed Googleplex.

“But engineers are very left brain. They might work in teams, but they require a high level of concentration; they sit in front of the computer and crunch formulas in the most extraordinary way.” 

Despite the fun, “it’s a very demanding work culture,” Andrew Laing of DEGW, a company that has done workplace research studies with other technology companies such as Micro­soft, told Metropolis. 

“It’s designed almost as a living environment — it’s much more like being at a university than being in a conventional work environment.”

2. Deloitte University

During the 2008 recession, few tech companies were comfortable taking huge risks — but former Global CEO of Deloitte Barry Salzberg chose to move forward with two of the biggest investments in the company’s history.

One of them was Deloitte’s multi-million dollar learning facility, Deloitte University (DU). 

Launched in 2011, the quarter-mile-long facility sits within the beautiful natural landscape of Westlake, TX, approximately 30 miles northwest of Dallas. 

Here, programs are immersive, active, and led by Deloitte’s leaders. Outside the classroom, students are surrounded by emerging technologies so they can experience firsthand how technology is changing how we live and work.

For example, role-playing and case studies provide interactive sessions that engage learners and drive collaboration. A holographic concierge also provides directions and other information about the digital DU experience.

Apple University was established by Steve Jobs in 2008 to educate Apple staff of the company’s culture and history. Source: Shutterstock

3. Apple University

The highly secretive Apple University, profiled in detail by the New York Times, was established by Steve Jobs in 2008 to teach staff what it meant to be an Apple employee — educating them about the company’s culture and history.

Courses are not required, only recommended, but getting new employees to enroll is rarely a problem.

A full-time faculty — including instructors, writers, and editors — create and teach the courses. 

Some faculty members come from universities like Yale, Harvard, the University of California, Berkeley, Stanford, and MIT. 

On an internal website available only to Apple staff members, employees could sign up for courses tailored to their positions and backgrounds, according to the New York Times. 

One class, for example, taught founders of recently acquired companies how to smoothly blend resources and talents into Apple. 

Another course, titled “What makes Apple, Apple”, analyzed the difference between the remote from Google’s failed TV initiative with its 78 buttons and the Apple TV remote, which has just seven buttons to teach the “less is more” approach Apple takes with most things, Guardian reported.

4. Disney University

Disney’s corporate university is the learning and development setting that teachers and students dream of  — it’s the Disneyland of education.

Although Disney University is not an accredited institution, courses are primarily designed, developed, and delivered by experienced learning professionals.

Everything here is highly personalized to the Disney brand. 

From training materials to program names, Disney University reminds everyone about Disney’s incredible success over the years. The company’s university introduces the brand when onboarding employees on their very first workday. 

Disney University offers instructor-led classroom sessions as well as e-learning and virtual classrooms. 

The company has expanded its delivery methods to accommodate Disney’s diverse and growing audience, which includes Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort, Disney Cruise Line, and many more. 

Intel Network Builders University is a free educational resource for Intel partners, customers, and students interested in Intel technologies and digital transformation. Source: Shutterstock

5. Intel Network Builders University

Intel’s University includes a vast collection of online content and incorporates face-to-face technical training. The online content supports virtual learning and has a global outreach. 

It has a wealth of training content on key Intel technologies, pertinent presentations on industry trends, and the technical aspects of NAV deployments. 

This dual-delivery approach supports distance learning and outreach to our global community through an easy-to-use website. It also fosters much-needed peer-to-peer engagement through in-person, hands-on workshops, and technical webinars. 

This corporate University aims to boost the knowledge of professionals from the entire network industry. 

That explains why it’s free, available to a public audience, and focuses on Intel technologies and digital transformation.

6. Oracle University 

Oracle University is the training and certification arm of Oracle.

The company provides the following features:

• Oracle Guided Learning: Realise your cloud application’s value faster with Oracle’s Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) Oracle Guided Learning.
• Oracle Cloud Learning Subscriptions: Build expertise using your cloud applications and services, stay updated with new product releases through real-time training, and practice what you learn through hands-on labs.
• Oracle Certification: Develop in-demand skills, validate your knowledge, and showcase your expertise by earning a globally recognized Oracle Certification.

A one-year subscription to either its cloud or technology courses is US$5,000.

With so many courses to choose from, we recommend you know the role and specialization you want to have. 

If you’re interested in data science or data analytics, you’ll see loads of corporate jobs mentioning Oracle Database, one of the company’s key products.

The post Corporate universities a gateway to a career in tech appeared first on Tech Wire Asia.