Recap of Intel InnovatION 2023

On Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023, at Intel Innovation in San Jose, California, Intel unveiled technologies to bring artificial intelligence everywhere and make it more accessible across all workloads. I watched the highlights of Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger’s Intel Innovation Day 1 keynote.

Here are my takeaways:

The event started with a bang, literally. Pat, known for his unconventional methods to engage with the audience, dashed onto the stage and effortlessly executed a few pushups.

The key information I gleaned from his talk are as follows:

Process Technology Progress: Intel remains on track with its five-nodes-in-four-years technology plan. The company showcased the first multi-chiplet package using Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express (UCIe) interconnects.

Next-Gen Intel Xeon Processors: Intel shared details on its upcoming Xeon processors. These will include significant improvements in power efficiency and performance. They also introduced an E-core processor with 288 cores. The 5th Gen Intel Xeon processors are set to launch on Dec. 14.

Launch of AI PC: Intel is introducing the AI PC with the release of the Intel Core Ultra processors on Dec. 14. This marks Intel’s first foray into integrated neural processing units (NPU), offering efficient AI acceleration directly on PCs.

AI Supercomputer: Intel is constructing a large AI supercomputer based on Intel Xeon processors and Intel Gaudi2 AI hardware accelerators. Stability AI is the primary customer, while Alibaba also intends to employ 4th gen Xeon CPUs for its inference engine.

Intel Developer Cloud: Intel announced the general availability of the Intel Developer Cloud. This platform is designed for building and testing high-performance applications, including AI. It is already being employed by several customers and was previously in beta.

Software Solutions: Intel revealed upcoming software solutions, including the 2023.1 release of the Intel Distribution of OpenVINO toolkit. This will assist developers in tapping into new AI capabilities.

Client-side Bet on AI: The new Core Ultra processor, which had the code name ‘Meteor Lake’, is Intel’s strategic move towards AI on the client side. As Gelsinger expressed, the combination of AI, cloud, and PC will significantly transform and enhance the PC experience.

Core Ultra Processor Features: The Core Ultra processor comes with Intel’s debut integrated NPU for efficient AI operations. It’s Intel’s initial client chiplet design facilitated by Foveros 3D packaging technology. Apart from the NPU, the processor also offers remarkable advances in power efficiency due to the Intel 4 process technology. Additionally, it provides discrete-level graphics performance with built-in Intel Arc graphics.

On day 2 of the event (Sept 20), the speakers emphasized the exponential growth and potential of AI, focusing on the commitment to openness, choice, and trust in development and innovation.

CTO Greg Lavender’s keynote addressed the convergence of AI, software, and security, stressing the importance of developers in this transformative era.

Highlights included Intel’s focus on democratizing AI and promoting an open ecosystem. Intel is pioneering the next generation of substrates made of glass, which offers advantages over traditional plastic substrates. Discussion on the significance of Kubernetes and the Intel Developer Cloud. There was a focus on enabling choice in hardware and meeting the diverse needs of AI workloads. Intel’s oneAPI vision and tools were also spotlighted. Security was a focal point, with a presentation on Intel’s commitment to supply chain transparency and the announcement of the Intel Trusted Runtime Environment (TRE), a solution that aims to provide independent verification of the integrity of trusted execution environments.

Even though I was miles away (in London), the energy from that room was palpable. While the live stream offered a slice of the experience, I can only imagine how transformative it would have been to be in that room, absorbing every word in real-time.

I’m proud to be a #IntelAmbassador :)