Intel: ‘Panther Lake’ will probably be our hybrid hero for the PC

Intel executives pledged Tuesday that its upcoming Panther Lake chip will mix the most effective points of its earlier processors, Lunar Lake and Arrow Lake.

Intel executives spoke in Las Vegas on the second day of its Intel Imaginative and prescient convention, which engages Intel’s companions and clients. Intel’s new chief govt Lip-Bu Tan outlined his plans for Intel’s new path on Monday, asking for brutal honesty whereas pledging to return Intel to greatness.

We already knew that Panther Lake can be a crucial product for Intel this yr. Not solely is the chip the following iteration of Intel’s PC shopper roadmap, however it’s the primary chip on Intel’s next-generation 18A manufacturing course of. After falling behind within the crucial manufacturing course of expertise race, former chief govt Pat Gelsinger pushed laborious to realize 5 course of expertise nodes in 4 years, culminating within the 18A course of. Gelsinger stepped down final yr, however reaching that purpose can be an essential legacy.

Executives mentioned that they’ve entered “danger manufacturing” with 18A, primarily freezing the method expertise improvement and starting to scale up the method for eventual quantity shipments.

Panther Lake will probably be essential for Intel

Jim Johnson, senior vice chairman of Intel’s Consumer Computing Group, advised Imaginative and prescient attendees that Panther Lake can be a hybrid of Intel’s earlier chips.

“I’m personally enthusiastic about Panther Lake as a result of it combines the ability effectivity of Lunar Lake, the efficiency of Arrow Lake, and is constructed to scale 18A and is on observe for manufacturing later this yr,” Johnson mentioned. “Our shopper roadmap is probably the most revolutionary we’ve ever had, and we’re removed from finished.”

In a letter to shareholders, Tan mentioned that “Nova Lake” would observe the launch of Panther Lake. Nova Lake will debut in 2026, he mentioned.

As he has finished earlier than, Johnson reiterated that making nice AI begins with creating an important PC. Intel has additionally invested closely in software program improvement, making an attempt to lure builders to the Intel platform and make Intel’s Core and different chips the engine of shopper AI. In that vein, Intel introduced a brand new AI showcase to assist clients discover AI-optimized purposes, and particularly these designed for Intel. Intel additionally designed its personal app, known as AI Playground, which permits shoppers utilizing Intel chips to run AI artwork and an LLM chatbot, all in a single app.

Intel usually pronounces technical particulars of its next-generation chips across the Computex present, scheduled for the tip of Might.

AI, AI, AI: Intel’s 2025 priorities

Michelle Johnston Holthaus, who has returned to her publish as the top of Intel’s merchandise enterprise after quickly serving as Intel’s co-chief govt officer, outlined her three priorities for 2025 for the corporate at giant. Two concerned synthetic intelligence.

“The Intel product group is targeted on three key priorities to drive your success,” she mentioned. “Initially, successful in AI PCs and enabling you to seize the AI shopper alternative from the sting to automotive, to the PC and to the workstation. Second, strengthening our knowledge middle capabilities throughout conventional knowledge facilities and workloads with the intention to provide help to maximize your current investments, equivalent to refreshing to recapture house, lowering energy, all whereas lowering your complete price of possession.

“And third, we’ve bought to proceed to innovate in AI, enabling the following technology of software program and {hardware}, whereas serving to you future-proof crucial infrastructure to leverage the ability of AI by full stack options,” Holthaus defined.