Over a dozen technology companies have come together to establish the x86 Ecosystem Advisory Group, aimed at enhancing architectural interoperability and streamlining software development across the most widely utilized computing architecture globally.
Semiconductor competitors Intel and AMD announced this initiative to tackle the growing demands of AI workloads, custom chiplets, and advancements in 3D packaging and system architectures.
The advisory group includes notable members such as Broadcom, Dell, Google, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, HP, Lenovo, Meta, Microsoft, Oracle, and Red Hat, though TSMC—the world’s largest chipmaker—is notably absent. Additionally, Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux, and Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, are also part of this group.
According to a press release, these major tech firms aim to work together on architectural interoperability to “simplify software development” for the x86 architecture. Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger emphasized, “We are on the verge of one of the most significant transformations in the x86 architecture and ecosystem in decades, with new levels of customization, compatibility, and scalability required to meet both current and future customer demands.”
Generative AI (genAI) is increasingly being integrated into smartphones, PCs, cars, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, as the processing power available on edge devices enables quicker data access, faster results, and enhanced security. Over the coming years, semiconductor manufacturers are focusing on realizing the potential of AI at the edge, allowing developers to offload processing from data centers. This shift provides a cost advantage for genAI application developers, as users will bear the costs of hardware and network connectivity.
Companies like Apple and Samsung, along with other smartphone and silicon manufacturers, are implementing AI capabilities into their hardware, fundamentally transforming user interactions with edge devices. Following Apple’s early preview of iOS 18.1, which features its first generative AI tools, IDC released a report indicating that nearly 75% of smartphones will support AI functionalities within four years.
The anticipated release of the next Windows version—potentially named Windows 12—later this year is also expected to accelerate the adoption of genAI at the edge, as it is likely to include built-in AI features.