Intel Chief Executive Highlights Company’s Role in Artificial Intelligence Expansion

Pat Gelsinger, the CEO of Intel Corp., is strategizing a revival for the chipmaker that was once a leader in the industry. He argues that the company’s technology will play a crucial role in the widespread growth of artificial intelligence computing.

Speaking at Intel’s annual innovation conference, Gelsinger pointed to his company’s progress in AI manufacturing technology and software development tools. The opportunity will only grow as more AI capabilities are used with personal computers, he said.

“Artificial intelligence represents a generational shift that will usher in a new era of global expansion where computing is even more fundamental to a better future for all,” Gelsinger said. “For developers, this creates enormous social and business opportunities to push the boundaries of possibility and create solutions to the world’s biggest challenges.”

Gelsinger is trying to rekindle interest in Intel’s technology and return to an era when its annual conferences provided a road map for the entire computer industry. He argues that the use of artificial intelligence is not limited to the data centers of giant cloud providers, which rely heavily on Nvidia Corp’s chips. Instead, it’s expanding into new areas, including the now-moribund PC market.

Intel’s executive reiterated his promise to upgrade its manufacturing technology at an unprecedented rate. As part of that push, a chip-making technology called Intel 3 will be ready for deployment at the end of this year, he said.

Intel’s earlier mistakes allowed Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co and Samsung Electronics Co to overtake the company in manufacturing capacity. Recently, Nvidia has been in the spotlight as a leading supplier of AI accelerators – processors that help handle AI workloads.

Intel has made progress with its own accelerator efforts, Gelsinger said, and its Gaudi2 product line even has an edge in some areas.

Gelsinger also said the new Intel Core Ultra processors include the first integrated “neural processing unit” to help speed up artificial intelligence software in computers. The first versions of the chips will be available for computers from December.

In addition to trying to catch up with its competitors, Gelsinger is opening its factory network to outside customers – even if they compete with Intel’s products. But this so-called the foundry business push will require Intel to show it has cutting-edge manufacturing again — something Gelsinger has promised will happen by 2025.

Software developers interested in Intel’s future products will get an early opportunity to try out their projects using the chip manufacturer’s Developer Cloud. This service allows users to test their workloads over the Internet on Intel-hosted computers. The idea is that customers will be better able to speed up this work as Intel chips become more widely available.