Intel commits additional $50 million to pandemic response

What just happened? Intel upped its contribution to help fight Covid-19 in a big way today by pledging an additional $50 million across various relief efforts. Other tech giants including Nvidia, Tesla, Apple and HP have also committed to helping the cause in recent weeks.

Intel on Tuesday pledged an additional $50 million to help in the battle against Covid-19, adding to the $10 million it already set aside to assist local communities during the crisis.

The chipmaker said $40 million is being allocated to help with advances in diagnosis, treatment and vaccine development by leveraging tech like AI, edge-to-cloud service delivery and high-performance computing.

Funds will also support education-based nonprofits and partners to help provide devices and online learning resources to students that don’t have access to technology. In some low-income areas, teachers are reporting that fewer than half of their students are regularly participating in online learning activities.

The remaining $10 million is being pumped into an innovation fund for various employee-led and partner relief projects.

For example, Intel is working with medical consulting firm TTP and Dyson to supply FPGAs for CoVent, the ventilator that Dyson designed in just 10 days after receiving a call for help from UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Johnson announced in late March that he had tested positive for the Coronavirus. On Sunday, he was admitted to a local hospital and has since been transferred to the intensive care unit.

Intel is also backing Medical Informatics Corp.’s (MIC) Sickbay platform which allows critical care workers to monitor a patient’s vitals from a safe distance.

Masthead credit: JHVEPhoto, Maria Symchych