By Tolu Ajiboye
Updated
3 min read
Intel says its first step into the metaverse will be to launch software that taps into computing power from other devices.
Semiconductor chip-manufacturing giant Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) has announced its venture into the emerging metaverse. According to the company’s executives, Intel will create software that provides a bridge for laptops and personal computers. Through this, the computers will tap into and channel the computing power of other devices.
Intel also specifies that the range of targeted computer chips also includes chips manufactured by rival companies. According to Intel, it will begin to roll out the software starting from the first quarter of next year.
Raja Koduri, Intel’s head of Accelerated Computing Systems and Graphics Group, expatiated on this in an exclusive interview with Quartz. Koduri explained that the computing power of today’s chips require vast enhancement in order to power the metaverse. This is why he says Intel’s first order of business in the metaverse is to leverage already existing computing power. In Koduri’s own words – regarding the functionality of the planned Intel software:
“The way we are architecting all the layers is that it is going to work with everybody’s hardware, as long as they are on industry standard specifications. There’ll be a lot of open sourcing involved with everything that we build.”
A practical application example of this is playing a game – which requires heavy graphics processing – on a laptop. Naturally, the gaming will cause a heavy strain on the computer’s chips, adversely impacting performance. However, if there is an unused gaming computer lying around, Intel’s software will be able to identify that spare power. It will then tap in via a home network which will help the laptop perform better.
Graphics processing unit-maker Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA), and semiconductor software manufacturer Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM) are among those already setting the tone for the metaverse. The former manufactures chips and software used in shaping virtual worlds, while the latter makes chips found in virtual reality headsets. In recent months, both Nvidia and Qualcomm have commanded investor attention and surged in value over the metaverse mania. In fact, Nvidia is currently building a metaverse platform, dubbed Omniverse, which will connect “3D worlds into a shared virtual universe.”
Intel is one of the other early, and currently few, chip manufacturers to foray into the metaverse. Koduri implied that Intel actually was conscious of its intentions to someday make a move into the metaverse. However, at the time, there was still much speculation about the shared virtual world, and the company bided its time. Now that the Intel performance graphics software is launching within a few months, Koduri stated this was the best time.
In his interview, Koduri acknowledged that blockchain technology will play a vital role in shaping the metaverse. He also added that this will be executed in the most rewarding yet most economical way.
“…I believe they’ll also find ways to optimize [the metaverse] that they can use blockchain without burning a ton of compute cycles, right? Because you need those compute cycles to render your metaverse, not waste on doing ledger validation,” said he.
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Tolu is a cryptocurrency and blockchain enthusiast based in Lagos. He likes to demystify crypto stories to the bare basics so that anyone anywhere can understand without too much background knowledge. When he's not neck-deep in crypto stories, Tolu enjoys music, loves to sing and is an avid movie lover.
