Linux 6.6 Bringing Initial Support For Intel Lunar Lake's VPU4

In addition to all the interesting open-source graphics driver updates coming with Linux 6.6 like AMD FreeSync Panel Replay, Nouveau uAPI additions for NVK, Intel PSR for old laptops, and many other GPU driver changes, the Direct Rendering Manager (DRM) subsystem with its AI accelerator "accel" framework/subsystem is rolling out initial support for the VPU4 coming with Intel Lunar Lake processors.

Back in Linux 6.3 the Intel VPU driver was introduced for supporting the "Versatile Processing Unit" AI hardware block premiering with Meteor Lake processors. Ahead of Meteor Lake processors even shipping, Intel's open-source driver engineers have already begun enabling the "VPU4" IP block that will come two generations later with Lunar Lake.

Since last month Intel has begun extending their Linux iVPU driver code for implementing this next-gen VPU "VPU IP 4" support. With last week's drm-misc-next pull, that initial VPU4 support is present and thus being introduced in the Linux 6.6 kernel cycle.

I suspect more VPU4 enablement will take place over the coming kernel cycles but nice seeing this initial VPU AI engine support for Lunar Lake already being started for this open-source driver. Meanwhile with upcoming Meteor Lake processors we are quite eager to experiment with this initial VPU and seeing how it performs with OpenVINO and other supported AI workloads.