Longtime rivals AMD and Intel, along with other prominent tech companies, announced a new partnership on Tuesday (15) during Lenovo Tech World 2024 aimed at bolstering the x86 processor ecosystem. This initiative comes in response to the rising influence of ARM CPUs in Windows PCs, particularly driven by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon chips.
Dubbed the “X86 Ecosystem Advisory Group,” this alliance seeks to “shape the future of the world’s most widely used computing architecture.” In addition to AMD and Intel, which are at the forefront of this effort, the group includes major players like Google, Dell, Meta, Microsoft, and Lenovo.
One of the group’s key initiatives is to “expand the x86 ecosystem,” ensuring compatibility between various platforms and simplifying software development. This collaboration aims to foster the creation of innovative and scalable solutions in the future.
The group’s primary objectives include:
- Enhancing customer choice and compatibility across hardware and software, while speeding up the adoption of next-generation capabilities.
- Streamlining architectural guidelines to improve software consistency and standardize interfaces between Intel and AMD x86 product lines.
- Facilitating the efficient integration of new features into operating systems, frameworks, and applications.
AMD and Intel comment on the partnership
“We are on the verge of one of the most significant transformations in the x86 architecture and ecosystem in decades, necessitating new levels of customization, compatibility, and scalability to meet the evolving needs of our customers,” said Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger.
He added, “We are proud to unite with AMD and the founding members of this advisory group as we embrace the future of computing.”
Lisa Su, CEO of AMD, expressed that the formation of this group is focused on advancing the x86 platform. “We are excited to bring the industry together to provide guidance on future architectural enhancements and extend the remarkable success of x86 for the coming decades,” she stated.
Both executives spoke at the Tech World 2024 event in the U.S., emphasizing that the x86 ecosystem is “alive and well.”
This initiative follows Qualcomm’s entry into the PC processor market, a space historically dominated by Intel and AMD. Known primarily for its mobile device processors, Qualcomm recently launched its new Snapdragon X Plus and X Elite CPUs for Windows laptops, which are now available. The company’s plans now include expanding its reach into the desktop market, a segment that has long been the stronghold of x86 processors.
 during Lenovo Tech){kind=link}