Compute Accelerator Subsystem Being Introduced For Linux 6.2

It's happening: the new "accel" compute accelerator subsystem is now queued for introduction with the Linux 6.2 kernel once that merge window opens in December.

In recent months there has been a lot of work on this proposed subsystem intended for AI accelerators ever since a consensus was reached among upstream developers to build it off the existing Direct Rendering Manager (DRM) subsystem. As these AI accelerators have a lot in common with GPUs, it makes sense to re-use as much of that existing infrastructure as possible.

Oded Gabbay of Intel / Habana Labs has been getting the subsystem laid out and initial framework in place. The "habanalabs" AI driver currently within char/misc is in turn expected to be adapted to this accelerator subsystem. There are also several other work-in-progress AI-related hardware drivers now expected to be adapted for this subsystem rather than targeting char/misc or DRM itself. Those accel drivers aren't expected to come until post-6.2 while at least this subsystem and framework are being mainlined now to ease the introduction of those hardware drivers.

Overnight the accelerator subsystem code was merged to DRM-Next ahead of the Linux 6.2 merge window opening up in a week and a half. With it now coming in by way of DRM-Next, it will be there for Linux 6.2 barring any last minute complaints by Linus Torvalds.

This is yet another feature making Linux 6.2 all the more exciting and what will be a fun way to kick off 2023.