Intel launches new enterprise GenAI software company

As Intel strives to make greater headway in the market for artificial intelligence-driven enterprise software, it is forming a new platform company with the backing of Boca Raton, Florida-based asset management firm and investor DigitalBridge.

The new entity, called Articul8 AI (an awkward abbreviation for “Articulate AI”), is based on a proof-of-concept that Intel partnered with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in early May last year. Reuters reported that Intel used a combination of its hardware and open source and internal software to create a generative artificial intelligence system that can read text and images. The system is running in BCG’s data center to meet BCG’s security requirements. .

The system was developed internally at Intel over about two years. But it has recently been fine-tuned for BCG’s specific uses, according to CRN.

Initially, BCG was the only listed vendor and customer of the system. Over the past few months, however, Intel has worked to expand the platform, which is targeted at Intel, to companies in financial services, aerospace, semiconductors, telecommunications and other industries that “require a high level of security and domain expertise.” The hardware is optimized, but alternatives are supported. “, said an Intel spokesperson.

“Articul8’s gen AI software products are built from the ground up to meet the needs of enterprises and are optimized for speed of deployment, scalability, security and sustainability (including cost),” a spokesperson said via email told TechCrunch. “The Articul8 platform provides AI capabilities that keep customer data, training and inference within the security confines of the enterprise. The platform also provides customers with the choice of cloud, on-premises or hybrid deployment.”

Arun Subramaniyan, former vice president and general manager of Intel’s Data Center and Artificial Intelligence Group, will become CEO of the spin-off company. Other members of the Articul8 team will also include former Intel employees, and Intel will retain an undisclosed stake in the company.

In addition to Intel and major data center investor DigitalBridge, Articul8’s investors include Fin Capital, Mindset Ventures, Communitas Capital, GiantLeap Capital, GS Futures and Zain Group.

“Intel and Articul8 will remain strategically aligned, and Intel plans to use Articul8’s enterprise-grade artificial intelligence software for internal use cases and make it available to end customers as part of a joint go-to-market partnership,” the spokesperson said. “This collaboration will Promote consumption of Intel computing products [and] Intel will continue to leverage Articul8’s AI domain knowledge and expertise as it continues to expand its presence in the generative AI market. “

Reuters pointed out that Intel’s move to launch Articul8 is its latest effort to seek external capital for its business units. The chipmaker spun off automotive chip company Mobileye, sold its memory chip unit and plans to eventually launch an initial public offering of its programmable chip unit.

The spinoffs are part of Intel’s strategy to raise money for Chief Executive Pat Gelsinger’s turnaround plan, which includes building new chip factories in the United States and Europe and introducing new advanced chip manufacturing nodes over the next four years. In particular, Articul8 aligns with Gelsinger’s plan to deliver new software products and services, including those powered by GenAI, that compete with those of rivals such as Nvidia and AMD and make Intel hardware useful for a range of applications More attractive.