ntel launches Core Ultra processors for ‘AI’

Intel has officially launched its next-generation mobile processors — Intel Core Ultra, the company’s first set of consumer-segment processors to include a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU), capable of delivering on-device generative AI experience at its “AI Everywhere” launch event.

Intel says dozens of PC makers are using its new AI-enabled chip.

These processors bring enhanced power efficiency, top-notch computing and graphics performance, and an excellent AI PC experience to mobile platforms and the edge.

At the “AI everywhere” event, Intel announced new Core Ultra chips, which the company says is the “most AI-capable and power-efficient client processor in the company’s history.”

Intel Core Ultra Processors

Intel’s central processor units (CPUs) have long served as the brains of most personal computers. But the new chip that went by the code name “Meteor Lake” is Intel’s first that will also contain what is called an neural processing unit (NPU), a section of the chip dedicated to handling artificial intelligence tasks.

Intel’s pitch to consumers and businesses comes as it is fighting its way out of a post-pandemic PC slump where buyers who upgraded to work from home in 2020 have seen little reason to buy new equipment.

Intel is on a mission to bring AI everywhere

“Intel is on a mission to bring AI everywhere through exceptionally engineered platforms, secure solutions and support for open ecosystems. Our AI portfolio gets even stronger with today’s launch of Intel Core Ultra ushering in the age of the AI PC and AI-accelerated 5th Gen Xeon for the enterprise,” Gelsinger said.

Intel Core Ultra Powers AI PC and New Applications

Intel Core Ultra represents the company’s largest architectural shift in 40 years and launches the AI PC generation with innovation on all fronts: CPU compute, graphics, power, battery life and profound new AI features. The AI PC represents the largest transformation of the PC experience in 20 years, since Intel® Centrino® untethered laptops to connect to Wi-Fi from anywhere.

Intel Core Ultra features Intel’s first client on-chip AI accelerator — the neural processing unit, or NPU — to enable a new level of power-efficient AI acceleration with 2.5x better power efficiency than the previous generation2. Its world-class GPU and leadership CPU are each also capable of speeding up AI solutions.

Over 100 independent software vendors (ISVs) and 300+ AI-accelerated features are optimized for Intel Core Ultra processors, providing three times more AI apps and frameworks than competitors.

The most prominent AI models, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, run on Nvidia GPUs in the cloud. It’s one reason Nvidia stock has been up nearly 230% year to date while Intel shares have risen 68%. And it’s why companies like AMD and, now Intel, have announced chips that they hope will attract AI companies away from Nvidia’s dominant position in the market.

Other major announcements of the Intel AI Everywhere

Other major announcements of the Intel AI Everywhere include the launch of 5th Gen Intel Xeon Processors, a high-performance CPU with up to 64 CPU cores and enhanced AI performance. Lastly, Pat Gelsinger, the CEO of Intel also teased the Intel Gaudi3 AI Accelerator, coming early next year, built for deep learning and large-scale generative AI models.