Ever since Intel poached AMD’s Radeon Tech Group Leader Raja Koduri, it had been believed that Intel would be getting into the discrete graphics world. At the IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference, Intel unveiled a prototype GPU based on a 14nm process. The prototype GPU contains 1.542 billion transistors split between two chips; one being the graphics processor unit and the other a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

The inclusion of an FGPA suggests that this prototype GPU might be in development for workstation and server use rather than gaming or mining.

However Intel has been sending out press releases talking about how the GPU is more of a proof of concept rather than a product prototype. Intel just wanted to show how it could make its existing Generation 9 GPU architecture. 

The team used an existing Intel integrated GPU architecture (Gen 9 GPU) as a proof of concept for circuit techniques. This was a test vehicle only, not a future product.

"While we intend to compete in graphics products in the future, this research paper is unrelated. Our goal with this research is to explore possible, future circuit techniques that may improve the power and performance of Intel products," a Chipzillaperson said.