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Microsoft to Extend Snapdragon-Exclusive AI Features to Intel, AMD Copilot+ PCs

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Microsoft Expands AI Features to Intel and AMD Copilot+ PCs

Microsoft has announced an expansion of its exclusive AI features to Intel and AMD-powered Copilot+ PCs. Initially, these advanced AI tools were only available to users with Snapdragon X series chipsets. However, as of this week, the tech giant is rolling out a range of powerful AI functionalities in Windows 11, including Live Captions, Cocreator, Restyle Image, and Image Creator, to select Intel and AMD chipsets. Additionally, Voice Access capabilities are being updated for Copilot+ PCs running on Snapdragon X series chipsets, enhancing the accessibility of these devices.

In a blog post, Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President of Windows Experiences, Navjot Virk, confirmed the integration of these AI features into devices powered by AMD Ryzen AI 300 series and Intel Core Ultra 200V chipsets. These tools, which were previously exclusive to Snapdragon chipsets, will now be accessible to a wider audience with the March 2025 Windows non-security preview update. The update is being rolled out gradually via Microsoft’s controlled feature rollout (CFR) throughout the month.

Among the most anticipated features are Live Captions, Cocreator, Restyle Image, and Image Creator. Live Captions provides real-time translations for audio and video content, making it an invaluable tool for virtual meetings, podcasts, and video playback. Cocreator, available within the Paint app, enables users to transform simple sketches into sophisticated artwork, with adjustable levels of creativity. Restyle Image, available in the Photos app, allows users to turn their photos into various artistic styles, such as oil paintings or modern art, providing a new way to creatively interact with their images. Meanwhile, Image Creator generates artwork and illustrations based on user-input text prompts, giving users the ability to bring their ideas to life through AI.

With the integration of these features across both Intel and AMD-powered Copilot+ PCs, Microsoft is not only broadening the scope of its AI tools but also ensuring that these capabilities are more widely available, thus offering an enhanced user experience for a larger pool of customers. This move further solidifies Microsoft’s commitment to bringing cutting-edge AI innovations to a broader range of devices.

Intel Announces Board Reshuffle Amid Turnaround Efforts

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Intel has announced that three board members—Omar Ishrak, Tsu-Jae King Liu, and Risa Lavizzo-Mourey—will not stand for reelection at the company’s 2025 annual meeting, according to a regulatory filing on Thursday. This move is part of Intel’s ongoing board restructuring to align with its renewed focus on the semiconductor industry under newly appointed CEO Lip-Bu Tan.

The changes will reduce the board’s size to 11 members. Meanwhile, Intel has already bolstered its leadership with industry veterans Eric Meurice, former CEO of ASML, and Steve Sanghi, interim CEO of Microchip Technology, who joined in December. These appointments mark a shift away from Intel’s previous board composition, which included leaders from academia, finance, and healthcare.

In a letter to shareholders, Tan emphasized his commitment to Intel’s turnaround strategy, focusing on both product innovation and contract chip manufacturing. His appointment follows the departure of former CEO Pat Gelsinger, whose severance package was approximately $7.9 million.

Former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger Joins Playground Global as General Partner

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Pat Gelsinger, the former CEO of Intel, has joined venture capital firm Playground Global as a general partner. In addition to his new role, Gelsinger has also joined the board of xLight, a startup focused on developing advanced chip manufacturing technology.

Playground Global and Gelsinger’s Role

Founded in 2015, Playground Global is a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm with $1.2 billion in assets under management. The firm specializes in deep technology investments, including semiconductors and AI. Playground’s notable investments include MosaicML, an AI firm sold to Databricks in a $1.3 billion stock deal, and PsiQuantum, a quantum computing firm raising funds to build quantum computers in the U.S. and Australia.

Gelsinger, who left Intel after disagreements with its board over his turnaround strategy, will focus on supporting 10 to 20 of Playground’s portfolio companies. His mission is to identify technologies that can deliver breakthroughs, specifically those that can perform at least 10 times better than current solutions.

Focus on Innovation in Semiconductor Technology

One of Gelsinger’s first moves is to join xLight, a Playground portfolio company, as executive chairman. xLight is developing a new type of laser technology to produce extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light for chip manufacturing. This technology aims to use significantly less electricity than current EUV lasers, which are produced by ASML Holding, the industry leader in lithography machines.

Gelsinger believes that this new laser technology could significantly enhance chip production capabilities, making chips smaller and faster—a continuation of the progress first outlined by Moore’s Law, which predicts the doubling of transistors on a chip approximately every two years. He emphasized the importance of advancing these technologies domestically, particularly in the U.S., to ensure continued innovation in the semiconductor industry.

Looking Ahead

Gelsinger’s move to Playground Global signals his commitment to driving innovation in the semiconductor and tech industries. His extensive experience at Intel and deep understanding of chip manufacturing will bring valuable insights as he works to accelerate advancements in cutting-edge technologies that could shape the future of computing.