Intel and AMD team up to stem the x86 bleeding

Like Professor X and Magneto, Intel and AMD know when to team up and take on a shared adversary. The two companies have formed a new x86 advisory group to stem the platform’s bleeding from Arm’s rapidly growing adoption. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, whose company is also part of the initiative, said the board will “help drive software consistency and standard interfaces.”

Intel and AMD aim to find new ways to expand the x86 ecosystem with greater cross-platform compatibility. Arm, licensed for Apple silicon, Qualcomm chips and some Big Tech data centers, currently has a simpler and more flexible design. Compared to x86, Arm makes it easier for licensing companies to adapt the architecture to their needs.

The new x86 group wants a more unified set of instructions and architectural interfaces. Intel and AMD believe greater predictability and consistency across their products will foster developer innovation and help the platform survive and thrive.

In addition to the pair of chipmaking rivals, the group’s founding members include Microsoft, Google, Meta, HP Inc, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Lenovo, Broadcom, Dell, Oracle and Red Hat. Epic Games’ Tim Sweeney and Linux creator Linus Torvalds are also members.

“We are on the cusp of one of the most significant shifts in the x86 architecture and ecosystem in decades — with new levels of customization, compatibility and scalability needed to meet current and future customer needs,” Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger wrote in a press release. “We proudly stand together with AMD and the founding members of this advisory group, as we ignite the future of compute, and we deeply appreciate the support of so many industry leaders.”