Intel's New 'AI PC Acceleration Program' Aims to Rev Up AI Software Development
Following the tease of its upcoming "Meteor Lake" mobile processors, which incorporate dedicated silicon for local artificial intelligence (AI) processing, Intel has launched a booster initiative dubbed the AI PC Acceleration Program. In the leadup to Meteor Lake’s launch in December, this program aims to connect Intel with hardware and software makers looking to enhance their products with onboard AI technology.
According to Intel's Robert Hallock, senior director of technical marketing, the program aims to connect AI software developers with Intel internal engineering resources or other assistance in ramping up their AI projects. The program will also serve to "matchmake" developers with OEMs for potential software-distribution opportunities, and afford access to marketing resources.
Intel projects that this program, which has more than 100 independent software vendor (ISV) partners already, will help enable AI on more than 100 million PCs by 2025. Of course, Intel has a vested interest at play here: Its new neural processing unit (NPU) in its upcoming Core Ultra-branded laptop processors, it hopes, will play a huge role in achieving this goal.
The most notable of Intel’s first partners is Adobe, which has already launched its Firefly generative AI product to enhance existing works or generate new ones entirely. Zoom and Cisco's Webex are also involved to bring AI enhancements to video calls, many of which are already in play, from background manipulation to eye tracking. Other early partners of the initiative include Audacity, Blackmagic Design, CyberLink, Magix, Topaz Labs, and XSplit.
As for the scope of this accelerator program, Intel says its shared resources will include “AI toolchains, co-engineering, hardware,
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