Intel: Getting Serious about Artificial Intelligence
February 25, 2020
Intel has tried to impact the AI market for years, but they have lagged behind IBM’s Watson. Intel’s biggest weakness with AI is that while its technology is decent for inferencing it lacks in the training department. Training and large amounts of data is how AI learns and is programmed. Without these, AI is only expensive software. Datamation explores how Intel is expanding its AI edge by, “Intel Buys Habana And Gets Serious About Keeping Learning AI.”
Intel purchased Habana entirely, not simply its technology, and is leaving the company alone to continue its work. Intel’s recent acquisition was inspired by rival companies developing GPUs with intense training capabilities and powerful inference engines. It appears Intel wants to go further by focusing on deep learning AI. Habana has secretly guarded its technology to prevent theft. The company is in trials with Facebook due to the social media’s presence with politics. Intel has already sunk $75 million into Habana to gear it up for competition:
“The move was designed specifically to provide stronger competition for the market leader, NVIDIA, in the space as it ramps to its $25+ estimated billion-dollar potential by 2024. Habana’s Chairman Avigdor Willenz has an impressive success record, having sold Galileo Technologies to Marvell Technology Group for $2.7B in 2001 and Annapurna Labs to Amazon for $370M in 2015. Intel paid $2B for Habana.”
With Habana, Intel should advance its AI developments. Intel currently does not have strong training engines so it will pull on Habana’s technology to bolster that, while Habana will rely on Intel to diversify its client base.
Intel has all the tools to succeed in becoming a NVIDIA’s rival, but it lags behind. Intel needs to create a thorough development plan to get its AI projects on track to becoming market leaders.
Whitney Grace, February 25, 2020
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