- Intel and AMD have forged an x86 advisory group to promote the x86 architecture and ensure compatibility across platforms.
- The x86 group includes many tech giants including Broadcom, Dell, Google, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, HP Inc., Lenovo, Meta, Microsoft, and others.
- The new x86 alliance is seen as a strategic response to tackle ARM's growing dominance in the computing space.
This year, Qualcomm entered the PC market with the launch of ARM-based Snapdragon X series chipset, challenging the long-standing dominance of x86 players like Intel and AMD. In the server space too, ARM is making waves and scaling its efforts to gain more footprint. Now to tackle ARM’s rise, Intel and AMD have teamed up and created an alliance to expand the x86 ecosystem.
The Intel-AMD alliance is in the form of an x86 ecosystem advisory group. Apart from Intel and AMD, tech giants including Broadcom, Dell, Google, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, HP Inc., Lenovo, Meta, Microsoft, Oracle, and Red Hat are founding members of the group. Linus Torvalds and Tim Sweeney have also joined the x86 group.
The main focus of the group is to expand and promote the x86 ecosystem. And for that, all major players in the computing industry will enable compatibility across platforms which will simplify software development. In addition, developers can easily identify architectural needs to create scalable solutions for the future.
With the creation of the x86 advisory group, Intel CEO, Pat Gelsinger said, “We are on the cusp of one of the most significant shifts in the x86 architecture and ecosystem in decades – with new levels of customization, compatibility and scalability needed to meet current and future customer needs. We proudly stand together with AMD and the founding members of this advisory group, as we ignite the future of compute, and we deeply appreciate the support of so many industry leaders.“
Regarding the alliance, AMD CEO Lisa Su said, “Establishing the x86 Ecosystem Advisory Group will ensure that the x86 architecture continues evolving as the compute platform of choice for both developers and customers. We are excited to bring the industry together to provide direction on future architectural enhancements and extend the incredible success of x86 for decades to come.“
It’s worth noting that Intel’s latest x86-based Lunar Lake chipsets delivered impressive battery life and performance, almost matching ARM-based Snapdragon X Elite processors in efficiency. Intel and AMD already have the compatibility advantage on their side. So it will be interesting to see in which direction the industry moves forward.
