Bombshell Report: Intel Is Reconsidering Its 18A Process

Former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger bet the farm on Intel’s 18A chip process. The new CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, appears to be considering other paths. A report by Reuters indicates that Intel’s current chief thinks the 18A node isn’t getting enough love from external customers. Intel could stop marketing for external customers in response and rely instead on 18A for its Panther Lake chips and other in-house products.

It's unclear just how seriously Tan is taking the idea of shelving 18A as an external product. If Intel goes that route, Reuters’ sources indicate, Intel could be looking at a massive write-off—not to mention a very public admission of defeat.

And here’s something that will sound familiar—Intel is considering putting its eggs into the 14A basket, thinking that the next-gen node will have a better shot at outdoing rival TSMC’s counterpart. Intel took a ...