Intel flexes AI processing muscle

Cloud and datacenter architects searching for new ways to pack more artificial intelligence horsepower into already constrained spaces will want to take a close look at Intel's new Nervana Neural Network Processors. Depending on the application, the processors may offer four times the performance or one-fifth the power draw as commercially available alternatives. The new processors are Intel's first ASIC offerings tailored specifically for deep learning workloads. The company announced last week the processors are shipping now. In addition to the NNP-T1000 for training and the NNP-I1000 for inference, Intel also announced the coming generation of the Movidius Myriad Vision Processing Unit, which is designed for AI vision and inference processing at the edge. The ASIC, code-named Keem Bay, is scheduled to ship in the first half of next year.