Google and Intel deepen AI infrastructure partnership

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. REGISTER NOW Newsletters See More 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. Subscribe By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice.

Related Enterprise Amazon CEO takes aim at Nvidia, Intel, Starlink, more in annual shareholder letter Julie Bort 5 hours ago AI India bids to attract over $200B in AI infrastructure investment by 2028 Jagmeet Singh Feb 17, 2026 AI 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 39 seconds ago Apps Meta AI app climbs to No. 5 on the App Store after Muse Spark launch Sarah Perez 24 minutes ago AI Is Anthropic limiting the release of Mythos to protect the internet — or Anthropic? Tim Fernholz 44 minutes ago