The group will focus on enhancing architectural interoperability for x86-based systems, as Arm chips expand beyond their traditional mobile domain and encroach on x86’s high-performance computing turf.
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“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,” said Dr Lisa Su, chair and CEO of AMD. “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.”
Since the 1980s, the x86 architecture has powered computing workloads after IBM used Intel’s x86 chip in its Personal Computer.
x86 processors are found in computer and server hardware from graphic cards to storage devices and CPUs found in data centres around the world.
But Arm-based systems are creeping up on x86, offering competitive performance and energy efficiency, which is attracting attention in data centres, cloud infrastructure, and even personal computing.
A major turn in Arm’s favour saw Apple ditch its long-standing use of x86s processors to Arm in 2020 for its Mac computers.
Add to that Nvidia’s fondness for Arm, with the chip making giant using Arm’s Neoverse cores in its Grace CPUs and x86 has a real fight to maintain its dominance.
AMD and Intel are now fighting back, launching an advisory group designed to help other businesses customise x86 configurations to meet their current and future needs.
“We are on the cusp of one of the most significant shifts in the x86 architecture and ecosystem in decades,” said Pat Gelsinger, CEO of Intel. “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.”
The coming together of two of the biggest names in semiconductors aims to invoke historical industry collaborations that helped shape hardware standards around technologies like PCI, PCIe, Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI), and even USB.
The x86 group referenced past collaboration efforts upon its unveiling, and suggested this latest project will take things to the next level “for the benefit of the entire computing ecosystem and as a catalyst for product innovation.”
The advisory group will solicit technical input from x86 hardware and software users to create consistent architectural features that can be applied to use cases for sectors including data centres, cloud, and edge and embedded devices.
Among the big-name technology firms that have signed onto Intel and AMD’s group include Microsoft, HP, HPE, Dell Technologies, and Broadcom.
Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, said the group will “help shape the future of computing,” while Antonio Neri, president and CEO of HPE said it will “help shape a consistent future architecture with innovative new features that meet customers’ evolving computing needs.”
“x86 has been foundational to modern computing for over four decades, and we want to ensure it continues to evolve and benefit everyone going forward,” said Satya Nadella, chair and CEO of Microsoft. “By bringing together partners across the industry, the x86 Ecosystem Advisory Board will play a critical role in shaping future x86 architectural features and help drive software consistency and standard interfaces.”
