The technology industry is fully embracing artificial intelligence, with a strong emphasis on AI investment and utilization. Companies across the sector are deeply involved, including e-commerce giants like Amazon, which is significantly investing in AI for applications like robotics. Hardware manufacturers such as NVIDIA and AMD have also seen substantial revenue growth from their data center and AI-focused products. Intel, keen on expanding AI’s reach, is introducing new intelligent AI NAS devices designed to function as more than just storage solutions.
While artificial intelligence has existed for decades, it was previously confined to specific, often slow, and less impressive task-oriented algorithms. This has dramatically changed with the advent of generative AI powered by large language models (LLMs). These advanced AI models possess extensive knowledge bases and can be trained to operate robots and perform a wide range of tasks.
Intel Unveils AI NAS: Smart NAS with up to 367 TOPs INT8 for AI, Featuring Arc Pro B70 Graphics
The application of AI extends beyond text-based chatbots and voice assistants. Robotics, in particular, is unlocking a plethora of new possibilities, bringing the futuristic visions often depicted in science fiction closer to reality. Furthermore, AI agents with their automation capabilities are poised to revolutionize business operations and various aspects of our lives if implemented effectively. Intel itself is championing AI integration in NAS devices, creating what they call AI NAS, which utilize their proprietary hardware.
These devices are equipped with third-generation Intel Core Ultra CPUs and Intel Arc Pro graphics cards, such as the recently announced B60 or B70. These are not gaming-oriented graphics cards; the B70 offers performance comparable to an RTX 5060 Ti, not significantly exceeding the gaming performance of other Arc cards. Instead, they are designed with substantial VRAM and optimized for AI tasks. For instance, the Arc B60 Pro boasts 24GB of VRAM with 20 Xe cores and 197 TOPs of performance for $599. The Arc Pro B70 offers an increased capacity of 32GB, coupled with 32 Xe2 cores, achieving 367 TOPs INT8 with a 230W TBP.
Intel to Collaborate with Brands Launching AI NAS, Including UGREEN, MINISFORUM, and QNAP
In their most advanced configurations, Intel’s AI NAS devices can be equipped with these graphics cards, capable of reaching 367 TOPs for local processing of models ranging from 8 to 35 billion parameters. Other configurations will offer performance levels of 180 TOPs, 100 TOPs, or 40 TOPs for entry-level models. Beyond their AI focus, these devices will feature Thunderbolt ports for high-speed external storage connectivity. Additionally, Intel will provide a suite of software tools designed for virtualization, local inference optimization, and intelligent photo management and video search.
Intel is partnering with its ecosystem of collaborators, including UGREEN, MINISFORUM, QNAP, TerraMaster, ZSpace, Changwang, and ZimaOS, to bring a variety of AI NAS models to the market. Notable examples include the UGREEN iDX6011, featuring a Core Ultra 7 processor, and the QNAP QAI-8300 Pro, equipped with a Core Ultra X7 358H processor.
