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New AI-Based Edge Computing Platform for IoT Coming from Intel, Alibaba
China-based Alibaba and Intel Corp. this week have announced a new initiative to bring an artificial intelligence-based "open" platform for edge computing designed for Internet of Things (IoT) projects.
According to the companies, the aptly-named Joint Edge Computing Platform will be a "device-to-cloud" platform for all types of non-consumer IoT -- industrial, enterprise and smart buildings -- and will bring together Alibaba Cloud IoT products with Intel software and hardware.
The platform will feature Alibaba's Link Edge solution -- for "edge-to-IoT device" communication connection -- as well as its AliOS Things operating system. Intel's portion includes the OpenVino AI-based surveillance toolkit, announced in May, as well as its processors and other hardware.
"Combining the prominent strengths of Intel and Alibaba Cloud IoT, this platform provides best-in-class computing capabilities, including AI," commented Thomas Lantzsch, Intel's senior vice president and general manager of the Internet of Things Group, in a prepared statement announcing the release (PDF). "Its compelling success story in the industrial sector reaffirms our conviction that the intersection of cloud and edge computing will enable more enterprises to achieve efficiency improvements, to gain actionable insights and to capture market opportunities ahead of their competition."
"Alibaba Cloud IoT has since day one, been committed to driving innovation in industries with leading solutions," commented Ku Wei, general manager of the IoT business unit of Alibaba Cloud Computing, also in a prepared statement. "This win-win cooperation with Intel will provide a strong backing for the IoT-driven development and smart upgrading of Chinese enterprises."
The companies also announced a second partnership at the same time: "Intel and Alibaba will jointly explore v2x usage model with respect to 5G communication and edge computing based on the Intel Network Edge Virtualization Software Development Kit."
While the solution is currently being used by several partners, a general release date for the platform was not provided.
About the Author
Becky Nagel is the former editorial director and director of Web for 1105 Media's Converge 360 group, and she now serves as vice president of AI for company, specializing in developing media, events and training for companies around AI and generative AI technology. She's the author of "ChatGPT Prompt 101 Guide for Business Users" and other popular AI resources with a real-world business perspective. She regularly speaks, writes and develops content around AI, generative AI and other business tech. Find her on X/Twitter @beckynagel.