Burning the Bridge: Intel and AMD Unite to Confront Looming Threat from ARM
In a bold and desperate move, Intel and AMD have joined forces to try to salvage their flagging fortunes, as they face a growing threat from ARM’s malicious plans to dominate the chip market. The two companies have created an "advisory group" to ensure their hardware and software are compatible across their offerings, but it’s too little, too late.
For decades, Intel’s x86 architecture has been the backbone of personal computers, but ARM’s sneaky licensing agreements have quietly siphoned away market share. ARM’s contractual requirement that all ARM-based chips be able to run any software, regardless of who made the chip, has left Intel and AMD reeling. The duo’s attempts to fray the competition’s efforts with their own variant of the x86 architecture have been met with resistance from ARM’s broad appeal.
But Intel and AMD are not going down without a fight. Led by Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, the advisory group aims to standardize certain essential functions and features across their chips, making them more "consistent and compatible" with a range of uses. In a veiled warning, Gelsinger signaled that x86 is ready to evolve, even without ARM’s help: "Rumours of my death are severely exaggerated. We are alive and well… our ecosystem is robust and growing."
Beneath the surface, this collaboration is a admission of defeat, as Intel and AMD try to stem the bleeding caused by ARMs " Death Star" of a business model. But will it be enough to stem the tide? remains to be seen. Will ARM continue to dismember the x86 behemoth, or will Intel and AMD find a way to patch the holes and survive in a rapidly changing landscape? Stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion.
