Intel has released Linux NPU Driver v1.32.1, which transitions from using dpkg to apt for installations on Ubuntu 24.04, resolving dependency conflicts. The updated driver now supports newer Intel chips, including Meteor Lake, Arrow Lake, and the upcoming Lunar and Panther Lake families, and includes OpenVINO 2026.1 along with a new GPU driver stack. Installation requires some additional steps, such as obtaining a Level Zero loader from the kobuk-team PPA and ensuring the user is part of the render group for hardware access. The release notes emphasize the importance of verifying GPG signatures to prevent potential tampering and ensure the integrity of the installation package
Linux NPU Driver v1.32.1 released
Intel just dropped Linux NPU Driver v1.32.1, and the real win here is finally ditching dpkg for apt to stop dependency conflicts on Ubuntu 24.04. The package officially supports newer Intel chips like Meteor Lake, Arrow Lake, and the upcoming Lunar and Panther Lake families while bundling OpenVINO 2026.1 and a fresh GPU driver stack. Getting it running means grabbing a separate Level Zero loader from the kobuk-team PPA, clearing out old conflicting packages, and adding the user to the render group before a quick reboot. The documentation strongly pushes verifying the GPG signatures first, which saves hours of troubleshooting when the neural hardware refuses to initialize.
