A parallel processing architecture includes a CPU, a task pool populated by the CPU, and a plurality of autonomous co-processing cells each having an agent configured to proactively interrogate the task pool to retrieve tasks appropriate for a particular co-processor. Each co-processor communicates with the task pool through a switching fabric, which facilitates connections for data transfer and arbitration between all system resources. Each co-processor notifies the task pool when a task or task thread is completed, whereupon the task pool notifies the CPU.