In Brief

Posted:

11:27 AM PDT · April 9, 2026

Image Credits:Alex Kraus/Bloomberg / Getty Images

- Rebecca Szkutak

Google and Intel deepen AI infrastructure partnership

Google and Intel announced an expanded multiyear partnership on Thursday for Google Cloud to continue utilizing Intel AI infrastructure and to keep developing processors together.

Google Cloud will use Intel’s Xeon processors, including Intel’s latest Xeon 6 chips, for AI, cloud, and inference tasks. The company has used Intel’s various Xeon processors for decades.

The companies will also expand the co-development of custom infrastructure processing units (IPUs), which help accelerate and manage data center tasks by offloading them from CPUs.

This chip development partnership, which started in 2021, will focus on custom ASIC-based IPUs.

Intel declined to share any information regarding pricing for the deal.

This expansion comes as the industry is hungry for CPUs. While GPUs are used for developing and training AI models, CPUs are crucial for running AI models and within general AI infrastructure.

“AI is reshaping how infrastructure is built and scaled,” Intel chief executive Lip-Bu Tan said in a company press release. “Scaling AI requires more than accelerators — it requires balanced systems. CPUs and IPUs are central to delivering the performance, efficiency and flexibility modern AI workloads demand.”

More companies have been turning their focus to CPUs in recent months as there is a growing shortage for the chips.

SoftBank-owned Arm Holdings recently announced the Arm AGI CPU, the first chip that the semiconductor giant has produced itself, amid a worldwide crunch for CPUs.

Topics

AI, ai infrastructure, cpus, Enterprise, google cloud, GPUS, Hardware, In Brief, Intel, IPUs, United States

April 30

San Francisco, CA

StrictlyVC kicks off the year in SF. Get in the room for unfiltered fireside chats with industry leaders, insider VC insights, and high-value connections that actually move the needle. Tickets are limited.

Newsletters

Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news

TechCrunch Daily News

Every weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage.

TechCrunch Mobility

TechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight.

Startups Weekly

Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly.

StrictlyVC

Provides movers and shakers with the info they need to start their day.

No newsletters selected.

By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice.

Enterprise

Amazon CEO takes aim at Nvidia, Intel, Starlink, more in annual shareholder letter

- Julie Bort

6 hours ago

India bids to attract over $200B in AI infrastructure investment by 2028

- Jagmeet Singh

Feb 17, 2026

Amazon and Google are winning the AI capex race — but what’s the prize?

- Russell Brandom

Feb 5, 2026

Latest in AI

Startups

After data breach, $10B valued startup Mercor is having a month

- Julie Bort

30 minutes ago

Apps

Meta AI app climbs to No. 5 on the App Store after Muse Spark launch

- Sarah Perez

54 minutes ago

Is Anthropic limiting the release of Mythos to protect the internet — or Anthropic?

- Tim Fernholz

1 hour ago