It is installed by default, but you can opt out of it if you know it is there and don’t click "yes" to everything during a software installation.

News of Intel adding telemetry collection to its drivers is a significant change to how its GPU drivers work. Intel has even given this new collation routine a name which sounds harmless enough -- the Intel Computing Improvement Programme.

According to TechPowerUp, which discovered the change, Intel has created a landing page for the program that explains what is collected and what isn't.

It says: "This program uses information about your computer's performance to make product improvements that may benefit you in the future."

It then provides a long list of the types of data it collects, many unrelated to your computer's performance.

Those include the websites you visit, which Intel has carefully dumped into 30 categories and logged without URLs or information that identifies you, including how long and how often you visit certain types of sites.

It also collects information on "how you use your computer" but offers no details and does not mention how often you swear at it. It identifies "Other devices in your computing environment."

Numerous performance-related data points are also captured, such as your CPU model, display resolution, how much memory you have, and, oddly, your laptop's average battery life.