Intel acquires AI start-up Nervana Systems

Vendor set to continue acquisitions in AI space

Intel has acquired artificial intelligence (AI) start-up Nervana Systems.

Details of the acquisition have not been disclosed, but reports suggest Intel will pay between $350m (£268m) and $400m for the firm.

Nervana is a deep-learning software firm founded in 2014 that will be integrated with Intel's Data Center Group.

The principle of deep learning is to "train" a computer to understand natural language. The AI is challenged on this language and learns from its experiences, much like a human brain.

Diane Bryant, executive vice president of Intel's Data Center Group, said in a blog post: "Success in this space requires continued innovation to deliver an optimised, scalable platform providing the highest performance at lowest total cost of ownership.

"We believe that by bringing together the Intel engineers who created the Intel Xeon and Intel Xeon Phi processors [microprocessors aimed at non-consumer infrastructures] with the talented Nervana Systems team, we will be able to advance the industry faster than would have otherwise been possible.

"We will continue to invest in leading-edge technologies that complement and enhance Intel's AI portfolio."

Nervana is headquartered in San Diego and has just 49 employees.

"Even though we won't be a start-up any longer, our mission hasn't changed: we are here to make a dent in the world of computation," said Nervana CEO Naveen Rao.

"We'll look back in 10 years and see this time as the inflection point of when compute architectures became neural.

"Nervana's AI expertise combined with Intel's capabilities and huge market reach will allow us to realise our vision and create something truly special."