- Intel expands Xeon 6 roadmap with 18A-based processors targeting AI in telecom networks
- 288-core Clearwater Forest reduces rack power and improves performance per watt
- Tests show 38% lower runtime rack consumption compared to comparable Sierra Forest systems.
At MWC 2026, Intel introduced its upcoming Clearwater Forest Xeon 6+ processors, built on the 18A process and aimed at edge AI and early 6G infrastructure.
The update adds a higher density option to the Xeon 6 lineup for network and data center deployments.
Clearwater Forest, which was first shown in October 2025, follows the current generation of Xeon 6 and is expected to arrive by 2027.
AI in networks is not “CPU versus GPU”
Intel is extending Xeon 6 to radio access networks, or RANs, which connect devices such as smartphones to the broader mobile network, as well as to mobile core systems and edge sites.
The strategy keeps networking functions, security workloads, enterprise services, and AI inference on standard server hardware.
Kevork Kechichian, executive vice president and general manager of Intel’s Data Center Group, said, “AI in networking isn’t ‘CPU versus GPU’ – it’s the right compute for the workload.”
The idea is that not all AI tasks within a telecommunications network require a separate accelerator. In many cases, inference can run directly on Xeon processors depending on performance and power constraints.
In RAN, the Xeon 6 SoC integrates Advanced Matrix Extensions and vRAN Boost, allowing inference workloads to run on the same server that manages virtualized networking software. This may limit the need for additional hardware in some deployments.
Rakuten Mobile is working with Intel to train and deploy AI models for low-latency RAN workloads using the Xeon 6 SoC. Vodafone has committed to adopting Xeon 6 SoCs for Open RAN and vRAN modernization projects across Europe.
Clearwater Forest, simply named Xeon 6+, increases core density and upgrades to the Intel 18A process.
In Ericsson testing, a single 288-core Xeon 6990E+ Clearwater Forest processor reduced rack execution power by 38 percent, delivered more than 60 percent higher performance per watt, and improved overall performance by 30 percent compared to a 288-core dual-socket Xeon 6780E Sierra Forest system.
Higher core counts and lower power consumption are the focus of Intel’s talk as AI workloads expand within telecom infrastructure and networks move closer to the start of 6G development.
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