Intel rumored to be using rival AMD technology on its own processors

According to recent rumors Intel have signed a license agreement to use AMD GPU technology in its processors. I have the feeling that Nostradamus might have mentioned this in one of his apocalyptic prophecies.

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Before you get too excited about red and blue silicon sitting on the same chip, dogs and cats living together or peace in the Middle East, this is unlikely to mean a Vega GPU sitting face to face with the Intel Core architecture .

Intel currently has a licensing agreement with Nvidia that was launched in 2011 as a way to stop the two companies claiming technology from each other. It's cost Intel about $ 1.5bn over the years and understandably they are looking to settle it once the deal dries dry in March 2017.

There have been rumors since March this year that AMD could break into the gap and allow Intel to use its intellectual property to shore up the graphic side of its processors. Because AMD has turned the CPU and GPU sides of the business out into separate companies again you could argue that it is not a conflict of interest for AMD to jump in bed with Intel silicon.

The agreement has come to light again with HardOCP's chief editor Kyle Bennett, posting on their forums that "the licensing agreement between AMD and Intel is signed and made for putting AMD GPU technology into Intel's iGPU."

Obviously this is not the same as Lisa Su and Brian Krzanich coming out, arms in arms, and proclaiming their technological love for everyone to see, but it seems credible. And it also makes sense for Intel to be looking to ease the graphics side of their business with the help of one of the two key players in the market. Especially as they seem to be done with the other ...

What it does not mean, however, is that Intel uses AMD's current silicon on its own chips, but is more likely to use different sets of GPU instructions than previously licensed by Nvidia. It's like the way AMD uses the Intel SSE instruction set for its own x86 processors and Intel continues to use some of the AMD CPU IPs. Sharing and caring.

But still, interesting to see these two friends together. It leaves a warm and fuzzy feeling inside, does not it?