Intel and AMD have formed an "x86 advisory group" with the aim of reshaping the future of the architecture and marking a significant event for the industry.
Intel-AMD Marks The Creation of A Pivotal Partnership To Sustain x86 Dominance In The Industry, Focusing On Future Scalability
[Press Release]: Intel and AMD today announced the creation of an x86 ecosystem advisory group bringing together technology leaders to shape the future of the world's most widely used computing architecture. x86 is uniquely positioned to meet customers' emerging needs by delivering superior performance and seamless interoperability across hardware and software platforms.
We are on the cusp of one of the most significant shifts in the x86 architecture and ecosystem in decades – with new levels of customization, compatibility and scalability needed to meet current and future customer needs.
We proudly stand together with AMD and the founding members of this advisory group, as we ignite the future of compute, and we deeply appreciate the support of so many industry leaders.
- Intel's CEO Pat Gelsinger
The group will focus on identifying new ways to expand the x86 ecosystem by enabling compatibility across platforms, simplifying software development, and providing developers with a platform to identify architectural needs and features to create innovative and scalable solutions for the future. For over four decades, x86 has served as the bedrock of modern computing, establishing itself as the preferred architecture in data centers and PCs worldwide.
Establishing the x86 Ecosystem Advisory Group will ensure that the x86 architecture continues evolving as the compute platform of choice for both developers and customers.
We are excited to bring the industry together to provide direction on future architectural enhancements and extend the incredible success of x86 for decades to come.
- AMD's CEO Lisa Su
In today's evolving landscape — characterized by dynamic AI workloads, custom chiplets, and advancements in 3D packaging and system architectures — the importance of a robust and expanding x86 ecosystem is more crucial than ever.
The advisory group aims to unite industry leaders to shape the future of x86 and foster developer innovation through a more unified set of instructions and architectural interfaces. This initiative will enhance compatibility, predictability and consistency across x86 product offerings. To achieve this, the group will solicit technical input from the x86 hardware and software communities on essential functions and features.
Collaboration will facilitate the creation of consistent and compatible implementations of key x86 architectural features and programming models, extending across all sectors – including data centers, cloud, client, edge and embedded devices – ultimately delivering downstream benefits to customers. The intended outcomes include:
- Enhancing customer choice and compatibility across hardware and software, while accelerating their ability to benefit from new, cutting-edge features.
- Simplifying architectural guidelines to enhance software consistency and interfaces across x86 product offerings from Intel and AMD.
- Enabling greater and more efficient integration of new capabilities into operating systems, frameworks, and applications.
As vigorous competitors, Intel and AMD at the same time share a history of industry collaboration focused on platform-level advancements, the introduction of standards, and security vulnerability mitigation within the x86 ecosystem. Their joint efforts have shaped key technologies, including PCI, PCIe, Advanced Configuration, and Power Interface (ACPI).
Both companies also played a pivotal role in developing USB, a vital connectivity standard for all computers regardless of the processor. This advisory group takes this industry collaboration to the next level for the benefit of the entire computing ecosystem and as a catalyst for product innovation.
[Journalist Note]: Well, this was an expected collaboration, and it probably came out of nowhere, but when you look at the general industry dynamics, the "x86" team surely needed such an alliance. On one hand, you have ARM-based SoCs rocking the markets, such as Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite chips, and on the other side, the likes of NVIDIA and MediaTek are preparing for an entry in the PC markets, so it makes sense for the "pioneers" of the x86 CPU segment to proceed with a joint approach.
The agenda of this collaboration isn't clearly specified, though, but based on what the firms say, the partnership is designed to make the integration of x86 architectures much more efficient in respective platforms, particularly focusing on AI applications. While we don't believe that product lineups getting merged into one another is in the books for now, it is undoubtedly evident that Intel-AMD is now at a united front, potentially competing against their common arch-rival NVIDIA in the dominant AI segment.
The alliance also involves the likes of Dell, Broadcom, Google, Microsoft, and other collaborators, so the group isn't something to take lightly. We will indeed be looking towards how this advisory group evolves moving into the"future, but one thing is certain: Intel and AMD joining hands means that "something is cooking."
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
