In brief: Intel is launching the “AI PC Acceleration Program” to connect software developers with the company’s internal engineering resources. The goal is to promote the creation of AI-enabled apps and features, so customers can take full advantage of the new AI hardware on their PCs. Intel believes AI will enhance the computing experience and expects this program to enable AI on more than 100 million PCs by 2025.
Intel has just announced a new initiative dubbed the AI PC Acceleration Program, which aims to provide resources to software and hardware vendors, enabling them to create AI-powered features that can utilize its upcoming Core Ultra mobile chips, code-named “Meteor Lake,” which have AI capabilities and are set to launch on December 14.
The processors are notably Intel’s first to come with an integrated AI accelerator, which Intel is calling neural processing unit (NPU). But an NPU is not reason enough to make people buy new computers; Intel needs to convince buyers that they need AI acceleration.
According to Intel, the acceleration program is an extension of Intel Partner Alliance’s AI Accelerator Initiative, it has over 100 software vendors and more than 300 AI-powered features so far. Some of the participants include Adobe, Zoom, Filmore, Wondershare, Audacity, Webex, BlackMagic, and XSplit, and the chipmaker predicts the project will enable AI on over 100 million PCs by 2025.
As part of the program, Intel says resources include technical expertise, hardware, co-engineering, co-marketing opportunities, design resources, and AI toolkits like OpenVino, an open-source toolkit that converts and optimizes models trained using frameworks like PyTorch and TensorFlow. The end goal is to take advantage of Meteor Lake’s new tech.
Intel senior director of client technology Robert Hallock says this is not the first time Intel’s been involved in projects around building AI features. The company also runs initiatives for servers and data centers, resulting in more AI-enabled software. He also stated that interested parties will need to sign up for the program online, and Intel will determine their eligibility to join.
Intel predicts that AI will enhance the computing experiences of consumers across several categories, including live video collaboration, streaming, audio effects, content creation, and gaming.
However, Intel is not alone in its quest to power the AI PC movement. AMD launched the 7040U series processors earlier this year, which features hardware acceleration for AI tasks, and it claims that its flagship Ryzen 7 7840U outdoes both the Apple M2 and the competing Intel Core i7-1360P.
