Intel Corp (INTC)

[xetex]

Around 2000 Andy Grove proclaimed that future computing would be increasingly about processing "natural data" (speech/audio, video, images). Their research labs showed applications with associated program libraries. They had people (gone by now?) with top expertise in these areas.

"Natural data" processing with machine learning will be even more critical with the onslaught of sensor data when IoT and robotic systems become more widespread. The software/hardware boundaries are flexible. So if Intel wants to be a key player in these areas (BK says so), they really should master the landscape of software and hardware (general purpose, FPGAs and dedicated circuitry) to maximize profits from understanding where workload profiles match where Intel's focus should be.