"Intel executive Robert Hallock discusses the role of AI in enhancing computer speed and power efficiency, refuting the notion of a 'must-have' groundbreaking application."
If you think artificial intelligence (AI) is just a bunch of marketing hype, you're not alone. Intel's Robert Hallock used to feel the same way, but now he's betting that AI will be the key to Intel's next-generation laptops.
In a wide-ranging conversation spanning from ethical AI cocoa farming to the Gartner Hype Cycle, Hallock sheds light on Intel's AI ambitions, discusses the challenges ahead, and offers an optimistic outlook on the potential of AI in improving performance and power efficiency. Although the term AI is often misunderstood and is associated with skepticism, Hallock emphasizes that he is an optimist about the assistive, offline form of AI that is run on local PCs, rather than the cloud-based AI with questionable privacy practices.
Hallock discusses the ethical considerations of AI, including concerns about deep fakes and the training data used in AI models. He also highlights Intel's involvement in initiatives that prioritize ethical and responsible uses of AI, such as the use of the Bria platform, where artists are compensated for the training data used in the final image.
While many in the public remain skeptical of AI, Hallock believes adoption will happen in waves. Early adopters will experiment with AI clients like LM Studio, Ollama, and Intel's AI Playground, followed by enterprise, content creators, office workers, and finally PC enthusiasts, who will only be convinced once there is a major game that benefits from an AI technology.
By 2028, Hallock predicts that 80 percent of all computers will have dedicated AI accelerators, which will deliver better performance, extra features, and longer battery life. Although AI might be the new frontier in hardware innovation, Hallock warns that the potential for memes and tomfoolery is unbounded. The next year is expected to see exciting developments in multimodal models and video generation.
Intel has already begun to explore the use of AI for improving tech support. The AI Assistant Builder allows the creation of chatbots trained on custom data to provide users with quick access to information. This platform is just one example of how AI can revolutionize modern tech support and make it more accessible for everyone.
Despite the excitement surrounding AI, Hallock acknowledges that there is the potential for a bubble, with many companies doing AI that aren't truly committed to it. However, he is confident that the industry players, software makers, and hardware companies will remain at the forefront.
In conclusion, Intel is pursuing a comprehensive approach to AI, focusing on advanced packaging technologies, scalable deployment strategies, and open-source software support. With its AI strategy, Intel aims to deliver significant performance gains and improved power efficiency for AI workloads, while also emphasizing ethical and responsible uses of AI.
- Intel's next-generation laptops could potentially benefit from the key role that artificial intelligence (AI) will play, as asserted by Robert Hallock.
- In contrast to cloud-based AI with questionable privacy practices, Hallock finds the assistive, offline form of AI that runs on local PCs optimistic.
- By 2028, 80 percent of all computers, including laptops and notebooks, are predicted by Hallock to have dedicated AI accelerators for improved performance, extra features, and longer battery life.
- Apart from improving performance and power efficiency, AI is also being explored by Intel for enhancing tech support, enabling the creation of chatbots like the AI Assistant Builder.
- Hallock discusses the use of the Bria platform, where artists are compensated for the training data used in AI models, as an example of ethical and responsible AI usage.
- After the initial wave of early adopters, enterprise, content creators, office workers, and eventually PC enthusiasts are expected to adopt AI, once a major game benefits from AI technology.
- Although there is a risk of a bubble with companies doing AI without full commitment, Hallock is confident that industry players, software makers, and hardware companies will remain at the forefront of AI technology.
