Intel licenses x86 architecture for the first time in 40 years

Renowned tech giant Intel has taken one of the most unexpected steps in its history over recent decades, granting a startup named RosaicLabs the right to use processor technologies from the Atom family. According to Reuters, citing its sources, this agreement signifies a major shift in the company's strategy, as Intel last stopped licensing its x86 architecture to outside companies back in the late 1980s. This was reported by Ixbt.com reports .

According to the source, under the concluded deal, RosaicLabs gains direct access to the RTL code (Register Transfer Level) used in the chip design phase. This will allow the young startup to create its own unique system-on-chip (SoC) developments based on Intel's high-performance and energy-efficient x86 cores. Experts note that such central processors produced in the future may be manufactured not only at Intel Foundry facilities but also at third-party factories.

Strategic pivot and new opportunities

At the end of the last century, fearing market competition, Intel almost completely stopped sharing its processor technologies with others. The current contract is assessed as a new attempt to open up new revenue sources and apply the technology more broadly while maintaining dominance in the x86 architecture market. Nevertheless, the parties have not yet made official statements regarding this matter.

It is reported that the RosaicLabs startup was registered in May of this year and is led by experienced venture investor Amardjit Gill. He previously collaborated with former Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan on a number of promising projects such as Nuvia and Rivos. Operating in stealth mode at present, the startup is said to have attracted around $10 million in funding.

Nevertheless, the technical specifications and details of the upcoming products are kept under wraps. Intel has not yet provided precise information on which Atom cores were given to the startup or which specific market segments the created platform will target. Analysts believe this approach will allow Intel to enter non-core specialized areas and monetize x86 developments more effectively.