Intel's secretive Knights Mill mega-chip will challenge GPUs for AI domination

Intel has pulled open the curtain on a secretly developed mega-chip called Knights Mill, a key component in its artificial-intelligence strategy. The chip--which belongs to the family of high-performance Xeon Phi processors--gives Intel a legitimate opportunity to tackle machine learning. It is targeted at servers and workstations, and will be available in 2017. Intel was caught off-guard with the emergence of artificial intelligence as a way to analyze and present data. Knights Mill, introduced on Wednesday at the ongoing Intel Developer Forum, will fill a big hole in company's chip lineup.