Raja Koduri Left Intel To Launch AI Gaming Software Startup

When Intel lured legendary graphics guru Raja Koduri away from AMD to lead its nascent graphics division in 2017, it was a huge deal. It indicated that Intel was taking graphics seriously and may even be considering a return to the discrete GPU market. Five years later, with Intel's Arc Alchemist graphics cards on the market and that chapter finished, Koduri has decided that it's time to attempt something fresh. On Twitter, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger revealed that Raja was leaving the company to launch a startup focused on generative AI for gaming, media, and entertainment.

Raja famously resigned AMD following the underwhelming introduction of the company's Vega GPU series. Before that, it launched Polaris, a relatively unimpressive product in comparison to Nvidia's capabilities. Koduri was in the head of the Radeon Technologies Group (RTG) at the time, and he took a 40-day sabbatical right following the introduction of Vega, which sparked some speculation. When he reappeared a month later, it was to announce his new position as Chief Architect of Intel's graphics division.

He was in charge of Intel's strategy and design for its first discrete GPU, Arc Alchemist, as well as its data center GPU, Ponte Vecchio. Both GPUs were late reaching the market, and Arc was given a phased launch, with cards first released in China and then in the US many months later. Finally, the Arc A750 and A770 midrange GPUs were launched for US gamers. Whilst many people were dissatisfied that Intel was not competing with Nvidia and AMD at the high end of the market, Raja subsequently claimed that this was never the intention. In post-launch remarks, he stated that the company's "sweet spot" is a 200W GPU with a single PCIe power line. Yet, the two GPUs appeared to be well-received, and the business proceeded to make major improvements with its drivers after launch.

Koduri's shift follows numerous recent title changes. According to The Register, he was promoted from Senior Vice President to Executive Vice President a year ago. After eight months, the company announced a restructuring of its graphics division, separating data center from client. According to Tom's Hardware, this change saw Koduri return to his old post as Chief Architect.