Our industry sources believe that even if AMD decides to license something based on X86 that Intel will not mind. This is because the ARM based server products including the ones from Qualcomm are slowly starting to show up in the market. It gets even better.
AMD CEO Lisa Su mentioned that some of the items involved in the co-operationat are not products, but microprocessor technologies and system-on-chip technology. Just look at the financial conference call transript.
Su said:
What we're licensing is microprocessor technology and system-on-chip technology. So they're technologies, not products. The technologies are applicable to both x86 and ARM. But as you know most of our investments are in x86. And then in terms of other aspects, there are other aspects that are needed to put together a system-on-chip, so they include things like fabrics and other IP.
Bernstein Research Stacy Aaron Rasgon asked her:
So let me ask the question a different way. Will the JV be able to manufacture and sell x86 based server chips into China?
Su replied:
Yes. The JV will be able to manufacture and sell x86 server chips.
Fudzilla mentioned some cool technologies including Coherent data fabric interconnect that can make a fast connection between CPU and GPU that could be involved too.
AMD has a chip that is internally known as Tarnhelm and this is a SoC which can create a Zen based cluster of CPUs and Greenland (Vega 10 generation) GPU on the same chip. Such a solution would be fast for computing.
We are not saying that Tarnhelm, Coherent data fabric or anything similar might end up as part of the joint server venture, but it certainly would make sense if it does.
AMD is also working on K12, ARM based SoC and parts of this technology which might be interesting for the Chinese academic community too.