Intel sees glass as a vital bit to power AI

Intel Corp. is betting on an unexpected material to help the world's computers handle ever-growing artificial intelligence workloads: glass.

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As processors become larger and more complex, their ability to communicate with the rest of the computer is going to become a chokepoint, according to Intel researchers. Glass-based substrates, which sit between the chip and connecting components, are the answer to this challenge, the company says.

For Intel, a chip pioneer that's now chasing Nvidia Corp. for the limelight, the new approach is a chance to show off its ability to innovate for an Al world and win new customers in the process. The company has ramped up R&D spending to nearly $18 billion a year, well more than peers.