Intel is making a change in its 'open-source' contribution strategy, according to the firm's executive, implying that there will be a slowdown in development.
Intel Laid Off Key Linux Engineers & Has Dropped Support For Several Open-Source Projects Over Time
At this year's Intel Tech Tour, we saw several exciting developments unveiled by Team Blue on the hardware front, including Panther Lake, 18A, and Clearwater Forest. However, there is one element on which Intel plans to revise its stance, which could affect open-source developers across multiple platforms, and according to Kevork Kechichian, Intel's EVP and GM of the Data Center group, it is revealed that the firm plans to adjust its open-source changes to make them beneficial for the company, rather than competitiors, which was an odd announcement according to Phoronix.
We need to find a balance where we use [our open-source software] as an advantage to Intel and not let everyone else take it and run with it. We are very proud of our open-source contributions. We are going to keep on doing that. However, like I mentioned, I want to make sure that it gives us an edge against everyone else.
- Kevork Kechichian, Intel's EVP and GM
Well, the stance taken by Intel is pretty interesting and 'dramatic' as well, since the company has been one of the leading entities in the open-source environment around the x86 ecosystem. The firm has huge contributions in aspects such as compiler optimizations, memory management, and several 'high-level' contributions to different frameworks. However, by reducing the open-source contributions across the board, Phoronix specifically claims that Intel might be looking towards a "de facto vendor lock-in" similar to NVIDIA's CUDA.
While Intel's statement is certainly surprising, the firm has undergone a massive restructuring of its Linux team layout, letting go of several core engineers who claim that Team Blue wants a justification for the 'software development costs', while someone else's silicon benefits from the updates pushed out. One example of Intel's changing open-source strategies includes the 'coretemp' CPU driver being orphaned, the end of support for the Clear Linux OS project, and the licensable nature of the Hyperscan software.
There is always a debate on having an open-source environment, especially in the realm of AI and hyperscalers, but it seems like Intel has chosen a side here. The firm has a track record of leading open-source developments under individuals like Raja Koduri and Pat Gelsinger, but now it seems that the scope of open-source updates will be significantly limited.
About the author: Muhammad Zuhair is a hardware and technology reporter for Wccftech, specializing in the semiconductor industry and the complex interplay between technology, manufacturing, and geopolitics. His coverage focuses on the corporate strategies and technological roadmaps of industry giants like TSMC, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Intel. Zuhair's expertise lies in deconstructing complex topics such as fabrication nodes (e.g., 2nm process), the economic impact of policies like the CHIPS Act, and the strategic development of AI infrastructure from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel.
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