I can certainly see how this is beneficial. At the same time it seems like it's a local optimum, to be eclipsed by other architectures. How much software really

I can certainly see how this is beneficial. At the same time it seems like it's a local optimum, to be eclipsed by other architectures. How much software really depends on 64-bit x86 architecture? And for how long? A large amount of server software can be reasonably ported to a new architecture. New platforms can adopt new architectures (phone/tablet, AR/VR). General purpose software like a web browser abstracts hardware, as does very popular software (as Facebook had, and WeChat does). Apple hasn't been tied to architectures and transitioned a number of times, always optimizing the whole rather than optimizing intermediate/stationary fixed points. If Intel is to make it to the next phase, it needs more than incremental improvements to compete. I hope that there's a path/future for AMD and Intel to evolve x86 and thrive but it won't be a given or easy.