The first Intel On event represents a rejuvenation of the company’s former IDF, or Intel Developer Forum, where the company highlighted the importance of software optimization through…
The big picture: While everyone who closely tracks the tech industry understands there’s an important link between today’s latest semiconductor chips and software application performance, there does seem to be a new, deeper level of connection being developed between the two. From cloud-based chip emulation kits to AI framework enhancements to new tools for creating applications that function across network connections, we appear to be embarking on a new era of silicon-focused software optimizations being created — surprise, surprise — by chip makers themselves. The first Intel On event represents a rejuvenation of the company’s former IDF, or Intel Developer Forum, where the company highlighted the importance of software optimization through a series of announcements. Collectively, these announcements — including the launch of an updated Developer Zone website — re-emphasized Intel’s desire to put developers of all types and levels at the forefront of its efforts. Intel’s focus on its oneAPI platform highlights the increasingly essential role that software tools play in getting the most from today’s silicon advancements. First introduced last year, oneAPI is designed to dramatically ease the process of writing applications that can leverage both x86 CPUs as well as GPUs and other types of accelerators via an open, unified programming environment. The forthcoming 2022 version is expected to be released next month with over 900 new features, including things like a unified C++/SYCL/Fortran compiler and support for Data Parallel Python. Given the increasing sophistication of CPUs and GPUs, it’s easy to see why new developer tools are necessary to not only more fully leverage these individual components but also to take advantage of the capabilities made possible by combinations of these chips. While Intel has always had a robust set of in-house software developers and has built advanced tools like compilers that play an important role in application and other software development, the company has been focused on a tiny, elite fraction of the total developer market.
