Intel Achieves Breakthrough in AI Capabilities with 500 Models Optimized for Core Ultra Processors

Intel has taken a significant leap forward in the AI PC race, announcing that over 500 AI models have now been optimized to run on its latest Core Ultra processors. This achievement marks a major milestone in Intel's strategy to become the leading chip supplier for AI-powered personal computers.

A Diverse Arsenal of AI Models

The optimized models span a wide range, covering more than 20 distinct AI categories. These include:

• Large language models

• Diffusion models

• Super resolution models

• Object detection models

• Computer vision models

This diverse selection ensures broad applicability, catering to various AI-powered software functionalities. Developers can access these models through popular industry sources such as Hugging Face, ONNX Model Zoo, OpenVINO Model Zoo, and PyTorch.

Some notable examples of optimized models include:

• Microsoft's Phi-2 small language model

• Meta's Llama large language model

• OpenAI's Whisper speech recognition model

• Stability AI's Stable Diffusion 1.5 text-to-image generation model

• Google's Bert natural language understanding model

• The Mistral language model

Why Optimization Matters

According to Intel, optimizing these models is crucial because they form the foundation for many AI-enhanced software features. Common examples include:

• Object removal from images

• Image super resolution

• Text summarization

The optimization process ensures these features run efficiently across the Core Ultra processor's CPU, GPU, and Neural Processing Unit (NPU).

The Power of Optimization

Intel emphasizes the critical link between the number of optimized models and the variety of AI features available to users. They explain that:

• Without optimized models, developers cannot design these features.

• Without runtime optimization, features may not achieve their full performance potential.

Beyond Model Optimization: A Holistic Approach

This achievement is just one aspect of Intel's comprehensive AI strategy for PCs. The company is actively engaged in several initiatives:

• Collaboration with ISVs: Intel is working with over 100 independent software vendors (ISVs) to develop more than 300 AI-powered features for Core Ultra processors. This collaborative effort is part of the AI PC Acceleration Program launched before the December 2023 release of the Core Ultra lineup.

• Software Enablement: Intel's investments in client AI processing, framework optimization, AI tools like OpenVINO, and the establishment of AI PCs as a new device category are paving the way for software enablement.

Building a Strong Foundation

Robert Hallock, Vice President and General Manager of AI and Technical Marketing at Intel's Client Computing Group, emphasizes the company's commitment:

"This unmatched selection reflects our commitment to building not only the PC industry's most robust toolchain for AI developers, but a rock-solid foundation AI software users can implicitly trust."

By providing a comprehensive ecosystem of optimized models, developer tools, and industry partnerships, Intel is aiming to solidify its position as a leader in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI-powered personal computers.