TL;DR:
- Intel establishes Articul8 AI, a new enterprise-focused platform company.
- Collaboration with Boston Consulting Group led to the creation of a generative AI system.
- The system is designed for text and image processing with a strong focus on security.
- Articul8 is adaptable to various industries, including financial services, aerospace, and telecommunications.
- The platform offers flexibility in deployment options, including cloud, on-premises, or hybrid solutions.
- Arun Subramaniyan, a former Intel executive, becomes the CEO of Articul8.
- Intel retains an undisclosed stake in the newly formed company.
- Additional investments come from Fin Capital, Mindset Ventures, Communitas Capital, GiantLeap Capital, GS Futures, and Zain Group.
- Intel plans to integrate Articul8’s software into its operations and offer it to end customers.
Main AI News:
In a strategic move to strengthen its presence in the AI-powered enterprise software market, Intel has announced the establishment of Articul8 AI, a new platform company, with the support of Boca Raton, Florida-based asset manager and investor, DigitalBridge. The name, Articul8 AI, is derived from the collaboration between Intel and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), which began in May. Intel, leveraging its hardware and a blend of open source and internally developed software, pioneered a generative AI system capable of processing text and images, a system that now resides within BCG’s data centers to meet stringent security protocols.
The development of this system has been a multi-year endeavor within Intel and has recently been fine-tuned to align with BCG’s specific requirements, according to CRN. Initially, BCG was the exclusive supplier and user of the system, but Intel has worked diligently over the past few months to expand its reach. The platform, although optimized for Intel hardware, is adaptable to alternative solutions and targets industries such as financial services, aerospace, semiconductor, and telecommunications, which demand a high degree of security and specialized domain knowledge.
A spokesperson from Intel stated, “Articul8’s gen AI software product was built from the ground up to address the needs of enterprises and is optimized for speed of deployment, scalability, security, and sustainability, including cost considerations.” Furthermore, the Articul8 platform offers flexibility in deployment options, allowing customers to choose between cloud, on-premises, or hybrid solutions.
Arun Subramaniyan, formerly a VP and GM at Intel’s data center and AI group, is set to assume the role of CEO at Articul8, leading a team primarily composed of ex-Intel employees. Intel will also maintain an undisclosed stake in the new entity.
Apart from Intel and DigitalBridge, Articul8 has secured investments from a consortium of notable players, including Fin Capital, Mindset Ventures, Communitas Capital, GiantLeap Capital, GS Futures, and Zain Group. The alignment between Intel and Articul8 remains strong, with plans for Intel to integrate Articul8’s enterprise gen AI software into its internal operations and extend it to end customers through a joint go-to-market partnership.
Intel’s move to launch Articul8 marks its latest effort to seek external funding for business units, following the spinout of car chip firm Mobileye, the divestiture of its memory chip division, and intentions for an eventual initial public offering of its programmable chip unit. These strategic moves are part of Intel’s broader strategy to raise capital for CEO Pat Gelsinger’s ambitious comeback plan, which includes expanding chip manufacturing capabilities in the U.S. and Europe and introducing advanced chip manufacturing nodes within the next four years. Articul8’s role aligns seamlessly with Gelsinger’s vision of delivering innovative software products and services, powered by GenAI, to compete with industry giants like Nvidia and AMD while enhancing the appeal of Intel hardware across diverse applications.
Conclusion:
Intel’s launch of Articul8 AI signifies a strategic move to expand its presence in the AI-powered enterprise software market. With a strong emphasis on security and adaptability to various industries, Articul8 aims to meet the demands of enterprises while offering deployment flexibility. This move aligns with Intel’s broader strategy to enhance its competitive position in the industry and leverage AI-powered solutions to attract a diverse range of customers.
