AMD woos developers for its Fusion chips

AMD is aiming to close the gap between low-end and high-end graphics processors with its Fusion line, and is working to attract developers for the chips.

Application developers currently face the dilemma of whether to dedicate resources to building for integrated graphics processors (IGPs) or for higher-end graphics processing units (GPUs), Matt Skynner, general manager of AMD's graphics division, said in a keynote speech at the sixth annual AMD Technology Forum and Exhibition in Taipei on Tuesday.

AMD hopes to change this with its Fusion line of APUs (accelerated processing units), which Skynner said combine the computer's central processing unit (CPU) with a GPU. He noted that developers only need to design for the APU, which will then access the capabilities of its built-in GPU.

The chipmaker is looking to attract more developers to its Fusion platform, which will then pull in the users. To do this, AMD has introduced initiatives such as webinars, university partnerships focusing on helping students pick up programming skills, on-site tutorials with AMD partners, and collaborations with researchers.

For more on this ZDNet UK-selected story, see AMD looks to narrow graphics gap for developers on ZDNet Asia.