A few years ago, Intel was the king of processors. Its chips were so dominant that even the average computer user knew the brand name. In recent years, however, Intel has struggled to keep pace with its competitors, especially in the world of artificial intelligence (AI). As data centers, autonomous vehicles, and other cutting-edge technologies continue to rely on AI-powered algorithms, Intel has fallen behind. But now, the company is making a bold move to turn things around.
Intel's solution? New chips designed specifically for AI. While traditional CPUs (central processing units) can perform a variety of tasks, from browsing the web to running spreadsheet software, they're not optimized for the kind of parallel computing needed for AI. Intel's new "Nervana" chips, on the other hand, are purpose-built for deep learning and other AI workloads.
To put the benefits of Nervana chips in perspective, consider this: as part of its push into autonomous vehicles, Intel acquired Mobileye, a leader in computer vision technology. With the help of Nervana chips, Mobileye was able to train its self-driving algorithms in just a few short weeks. Before the new chips, this kind of training could have taken months.
Another quantifiable example comes from Intel's own experimentation with the Nervana chips. In a benchmark test, Intel's Nervana Neural Network Processor (NNP) trained a ResNet-50 image classification model in just 25 seconds. By contrast, the same model took an entire day to train on Intel's Xeon processor.
Of course, Intel's push into AI is about more than just chips. The company has also shifted its overall strategy to prioritize data center and Internet of Things (IoT) applications, both of which are heavily reliant on AI. This move marks a departure from Intel's previous focus on the PC market, which has been in decline for years.
As part of its new strategy, Intel has also acquired a number of companies in the AI space, including Nervana Systems, Movidius, and Habana Labs. With these acquisitions, Intel has gained access to cutting-edge AI technology and expertise that it can use to accelerate its own development efforts.
As the world becomes increasingly reliant on AI, Intel's push into this space is critical for its long-term success. With its new Nervana chips and strategic acquisitions, Intel is well-positioned to address the evolving needs of both businesses and consumers.
Category: Technology
Curated by Team Akash.Mittal.Blog
Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn