Intel has made a significant splash at the annual Computex event in Taiwan by unveiling new AI-focused processors designed to compete vigorously with rivals Nvidia and AMD. Among the highlights is the innovative Lunar Lake processor, tailored specifically for laptops and engineered to handle the demanding workloads associated with AI computing. Additionally, Intel provided an in-depth look at the Xeon 6s, which are optimized for high-performance data center operations.
During the keynote address delivered by CEO Pat Gelsinger, Intel showcased its latest line of Gaudi accelerators, explicitly aimed at bolstering AI workloads. These new accelerators are positioned to rival Nvidia's H100 GPUs, purportedly at a cost that's only two-thirds as much, emphasizing Intel’s commitment to making AI computing more accessible and efficient.
Gelsinger emphasized the transformative impact of AI, stating, “AI is driving one of the most consequential eras of innovation the industry has ever seen.” He elaborated, highlighting how silicon technology is facilitating unprecedented advancements in computing, expanding human potential and fueling global economic growth in the years to come. Gelsinger stressed that in the future, AI will be integral to every device and organization, declaring, “AI everywhere will push the boundaries of what’s possible across every human experience.”
The Xeon 6 chips, which are now available, were also highlighted during the presentation as essential upgrades for modern data centers. Gelsinger described them as offering high core counts and exceptional performance per watt, perfectly suited for training and inference of large language models. “Every data center provider I know is being crushed by how they upgrade and expand their flexibility for high-performance computing as they face growing demands for AI,” he noted, indicating that a processor boasting 144 cores provides significant advantages in both efficiency and performance.
Moreover, Gelsinger pointed to the edge computing landscape, expressing confidence in AI's potential to revolutionize this space. He observed, “IoT and other technologies have opened up more use cases for the edge, but we see AI as a game changer.” In particular, he highlighted PC deployments as a critical area for Intel to compete with AMD and Nvidia, with Intel’s processors set to handle AI workloads efficiently within consumer devices. Gelsinger remarked that AI represents the most groundbreaking change in the PC market in the last 25 years since the introduction of Wi-Fi. He predicted that by 2028, a staggering 80% of all PCs will be AI-enabled, noting that Intel has already shipped eight million AI PCs since December.
The new Lunar Lake PC chip is engineered to be up to four times faster at running AI workloads compared to previous iterations, while consuming 40% less power. Furthermore, Intel claims that these chips offer an impressive 86 times improvement in power efficiency over earlier models. The architecture of Lunar Lake consists of two separate tiles, dedicated to computing and security/connectivity, respectively. This innovative design facilitates faster data access and reduced latency in AI applications.
Gelsinger concluded by affirming Intel’s unique position in the AI landscape, stating, “Intel is one of the only companies innovating across the full spectrum of the AI market opportunity – from semiconductor manufacturing to PC, network, edge, and data center systems.” He emphasized that Intel’s Xeon, Gaudi, and Core Ultra platforms, in conjunction with a robust hardware and software ecosystem, are delivering the flexible, secure, sustainable, and cost-effective solutions essential for customers to seize the vast opportunities that lie ahead.
Ranking
