Intel unveils new family of AI chips to take on Nvidia’s GPUs - Previously known as Lakes Crest

[Dayman1225]

Intel unveils new family of AI chips to take on Nvidia’s GPUs

Facebook Pitches In on Intel’s Coming Artificial Intelligence Chip

Intel Pioneers New Technologies to Advance Artificial Intelligence

Intel® Nervana™ Neural Network Processors (NNP) Redefine AI Silicon

What was previously known about Lake Crest

 

[Yotsugi]

No dates or details?
Smells funny.
Remember XPoint? Me neither.

 

[Dayman1225]

No dates or details?
Smells funny.
Remember XPoint? Me neither.

They previously talked about it late 2016 or eary 2017 IIRC. First silicon in H1 2017 and shipping by H2 2017 IIRC

 

[plopke]

No dates or details?
Smells funny.
Remember XPoint? Me neither.

;p well Xpoint was rebranded as optane and it is in consumer /enterprise hardware cache/SSD

 

[Yotsugi]

;p well Xpoint was rebranded as optane and it is in consumer /enterprise hardware cache/SSD

I was talking miraculous numbers for XPoint.

They previously talked about it late 2016 or eary 2017 IIRC. First silicon in H1 2017 and shipping by H2 2017 IIRC

And 10nm node was supposed to be ready like an year ago.
Never trust Intel.

 

[NTMBK]

What's the software stack? Can it be easily dropped into the workflow of deep learning scientists, by swapping out a couple of libraries? Or will it take a massive porting job to move away from Nvidia?

 

[Yotsugi]

Or will it take a massive porting job to move away from Nvidia?

It's almost certainly this so everyone will continue to use nVidia.

 

[Rifter]

So when are they firing up SkyNet

 

[Dayman1225]

What's the software stack? Can it be easily dropped into the workflow of deep learning scientists, by swapping out a couple of libraries? Or will it take a massive porting job to move away from Nvidia?

We'll see I suppose. Intel are making a massive push for this so I doubt they want a massive port job on their hands. This seems to be a ground up architecture built for AI from what I can tell. The start of Intels divergence for certain markets? Who knows. We'll have to wait and see.

 

[swilli89]

*based on Intel's 9th generation Skylake architecture

 

[theeedude]

How many teraflops are they claiming? Or are they not disclosing it?

 

[DrMrLordX]

*based on Intel's 9th generation Skylake architecture

Um what? I thought they had some "new" architecture they were using called Flexpoint.

 

[FIVR]

How many teraflops are they claiming? Or are they not disclosing it?

Intel discloses nothing. No specifications, no performance, no prices.


"We built a new amazing chip that will defeat all competitors in a market in which we have no experience or marketshare. We won't tell you what it costs, how it performs, or where/when you can buy it... but trust us it's amazing. It will change the world.'

 

[Yotsugi]

"We built a new amazing chip that will defeat all competitors in a market in which we have no experience or marketshare. We won't tell you what it costs, how it performs, or where/when you can buy it... but trust us it's amazing. It will change the world.'

Sounds exactly like XPoint, and we all know how it ended.

 

[majord]

So this is Nervana's ASIC yeah?

Is that hbm?

Very convuluted , susbtance lacking press release.

Only refeence I can find is 10x faster than maxwell at deep learning from nervana wiki

 

[Yotsugi]

So this is Nervana's ASIC yeah?

Ye.

Is that hbm?

Ye, HBM2.

Very convuluted , susbtance lacking press release.

Aka "we have nothing to show, please buy Intel stock".

 

[Qwertilot]

A bit more detail on the main page now. Seemingly made on TSMC 28nm which isn't going to help it against Volta.

Roughly as scheduled when they brought the company so some sense, but what on earth was the delay about?

 

[Dayman1225]

https://www.anandtech.com/show/1194...work-processor-first-silicon-before-year-end?

 

[Nothingness]

Again some technology that was bought that Intel puts its name on.

I hope they will not kill Nervana like many other companies they bought in the past.

 

[dahorns]

Sounds exactly like XPoint, and we all know how it ended.

Xpoint is pretty amazing... the enterprise drive is a beast for its purpose.

 

[Yotsugi]

Xpoint is pretty amazing... the enterprise drive is a beast for its purpose.

And then you remember what Intel has been promising...

 

[dahorns]

And then you remember what Intel has been promising...

Sure, and it seems like they will be closer to that once DIMMs are available. Right now, the primary limitation appears to be the interface. We should also be seeing the consumer/enthusiast drive soon.

Back to the topic, it'll probably be another Intel acquisition that goes nowhere. Otherwise, you'd expect to see some performance claims.

 

[Qwertilot]

It won't be good news for them if it goes nowhere mind - this market is a genuinely good fit for them. Expensive, very high power chips required, large market growing fast etc etc.

 

[witeken]

What's the software stack? Can it be easily dropped into the workflow of deep learning scientists, by swapping out a couple of libraries? Or will it take a massive porting job to move away from Nvidia?

Does this answer your question?

https://www.intelnervana.com/intel-...utm_campaign=sm-Q42017Artificial-Intelligence

 

[witeken]

Again some technology that was bought that Intel puts its name on.

I hope they will not kill Nervana like many other companies they bought in the past.

Of course not, AI is rapidly growing and they've committed to a long term roadmap.