Cloud Policy

Intel public policy: How Intel promotes innovation worldwide

Intel’s chips power over 90 percent of all cloud computing worldwide. The cloud is a key enabler of economic growth and social change worldwide. We believe that in order to move toward effective and safe cloud computing, individual organizations and the IT industry as a whole need to focus on efficiency, simplification, and security in the cloud. Data should move freely and responsibly across borders with adequate protections for consumer privacy and security. Intel works with global industry groups to accelerate the development of standards that enable these solutions. 

Key Issues

  • Public sector cloud adoption: Governments should adopt cloud solutions for data services, ensuring public safety, improving the energy efficiency of operations, and addressing domestic and global issues. Governments that move services to the cloud see tangible improvement in interactions with individuals and greater efficiencies and cost savings.

  • Forced localization requirements and data flow restrictions: Governments should not require the localization of research and development, intellectual property, or manufacturing within their borders as a condition of market access, nor should they restrict the movement of data across borders unilaterally or in free trade agreements. Such measures undermine competition and reduce global trade by more than $90 billion each year.

  • Privacy in the cloud: Individuals must trust their use of digital devices and services if they are expected to use the technology for important aspects of their lives (such as electronic health records, online banking, and online government services). Legislation, together with self-regulatory regimes, are necessary to protect data and foster trust in the cloud. Such legislation must offer effective and reliable protections for individuals, but also be flexible enough to adapt to rapid changes in technology.

  • Security in the cloud: The most effective way to ensure that cloud computing provides robust security is by using globally harmonized, industry-led security best practices and standards, as well as government incentives for organizations to adopt security technologies. Conflicting security requirements in multiple jurisdictions raises costs for vendors and creates confusion for end users.

  • Government standards and regulations: Regulation of cloud services should be voluntary, market-driven, and industry led. Standards also should be interoperable globally to keep cloud services harmonized and easy to navigate.

  • Broadband adoption: High-speed broadband networks and reliable infrastructure are critical for expanding and connecting to the cloud.

  • Energy efficiency: Policies that expand the cloud computing market are a cost-effective way to improve energy efficiency and sustainability. Cloud-based computing offers substantial energy efficiency gains over traditional computing models.