Jul 10 2024
Hardware

HPC Processing Boosts AI Innovations Across Industries

In retail, finance and the automotive industry, high-performance computing technology supports artificial intelligence for better predictive analytics.

High-performance computing has become a must-have for artificial intelligence-driven initiatives, and Intel is leading the charge. With the semiconductor industry underpinning advancements in the digital age, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger predicts one-third of semiconductors will influence AI innovations — which is why the company says its “moonshot goal is to have 50 percent of the world’s semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S. and the E.U. by 2030.”

Here are several reasons why HPC processing technology is driving AI innovation in business operations across the retail, finance and automotive industries, among others.

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Businesses See the Benefits of Advanced Computing Power

Intel, NVIDIA and AMD are a few of the many companies developing specialized AI processors designed to efficiently handle machine learning (ML) tasks. Advances such as Lunar Lake, Intel’s “flagship processor for the next generation of AI PCs,” are designed to accelerate AI computations.

These processors enable the rapid development and deployment of future AI models and bolster the computational capability of any related hardware. Major cloud providers such as AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud also benefit from upscaling their computing power. The long and short of it? More computing power fuels business success.

RELATED: The Intel Core Ultra processor brings AI readiness to the PC.

In Telecommunications, Accelerated AI Enhances Video and Audio

In digital work environments, high-performance AI processing technology is enhancing speed in networks and telecom services. When Intel partnered with Zoom, the scalable communications platform saw an immediate improvement.

“We’re excited to see Intel integrate neural processing units into Zoom, providing a power-efficient data accelerator to offload video and audio AI programs,” Trevor Vickers, vice president and general manager of global partners and support at Intel, told BizTech at the CDW Executive Summit in April.

Embedded AI proved to be an immediate catalyst of transformation: enhancing video and audio quality, providing real-time language translation and improving the user experience by optimizing bandwidth and reducing latency issues.

Trevor Vickers
We’re excited to see Intel integrate neural processing units into Zoom, providing a power-efficient data accelerator to offload video and audio AI programs.”

Trevor Vickers Vice President and General Manager of Global Partners and Support, Intel

AI Fuels Sustainability Efforts for the Energy and Utilities Industry

In the energy and utilities sector, AI is helping IT leaders run predictive analytics on usage to forecast energy needs. Using real-time data drawn from smart meters and Internet of Things devices, the technology can optimize energy distribution and prevent system shortages.

AI and energy are “the new power couple,” say policy analysts writing for the International Energy Agency. The technology is poised to reduce costs and boost sustainability.

“One of the most common uses for AI by the energy sector has been to improve predictions of supply and demand. Developing a greater understanding of both when renewable power is available and when it’s needed is crucial for next-generation power systems,” according to the IEA commentary.

AI’s predictive power lies in machine learning, which can “help match variable supply with rising and falling demand — maximising the financial value of renewable energy and allowing it to be integrated more easily into the grid,” the IEA notes.

READ MORE: Power up your business with high-performance computing and AI.

In Retail, AI and Machine Learning Promise Twice the Profits

Retailers are also increasingly reaping the benefits of AI. A recent IHL Group study predicts that retailers who leverage AI and machine learning will have 2.6 times more profit growth in 2024 than their competitors that don’t leverage these technologies.

“It is no longer a question of if AI/ML is making a difference,” says Greg Buzek, president of IHL Group. “The data shows it is clearly a differentiator that will continue to deliver results and help leading retailers lap their competition.” That’s particularly true in security, customer service and demand forecasting: the three areas in which AI has proved to be most effective.

In Finance, AI Fuels High-Performance Algorithmic Trading

In finance, AI models are processing huge volumes of data to make automated algorithmic trading decisions faster than human traders can. The scale at which these trades happen is significantly impacting the sector’s infrastructure.

Banks, which have been slower to adopt AI compared with other industries, have now embraced it. Experts say generative AI is a critical component in their digital transformation goals as they shift from legacy tech to digitally native tools, notes a recent KPMG report. And now, thanks to AI, the digital transformation of the front office, middle office and back office is underway.

DISCOVER: How AI-enabled PCs improve the end-user experience.

In the Automotive Industry, Embedded AI Promises Fewer Accidents

AI will also need to pass the litmus test on the road as companies like Tesla and Waymo use the technology for self-driving cars. With embedded AI, safety teams can learn from volumes of driving data. Complex simulations, drawn from rapid testing and refined algorithms, also allow for continuous improvement in automated decision-making and environmental awareness, potentially leading to fewer driving accidents and enhanced safety.

“Can we save more lives by bringing automated vehicle technology to more people in more places and sooner?” asks Avinash Balachandran, director of the Toyota Research Institute’s human interactive driving division. “We think the answer is yes, by rethinking the way people and embodied technologies interact.”

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