Intel just hit a big milestone with its 18A chip technology. According to a LinkedIn post by Intel manager Pankaj Marria, they started making test wafers for their customers to check out. This marks version 1.0 of their design kit, which customers already use to test custom chips. Employees celebrated with "The Eagle has landed" posters, pointing to this American-made technology achievement.
Mass production should begin during the latter part of 2025, but early success might push that date forward. The company appears happy with early testing results. In recent messages to staff, new CEO Lip-Bu Tan talks about Intel's path forward. He clearly states that they plan to keep making both chips and foundry services under one roof rather than splitting them apart, as many industry watchers suggested.
People had speculated about different arrangements where Intel might team up with TSMC or let companies like AMD, Broadcom, or NVIDIA buy parts of a separate foundry business. These ideas remain possible but seem less likely today. Tan emphasizes how important manufacturing remains to Intel's overall strategy. His approach matches what previous CEO Pat Gelsinger pushed for - keeping manufacturing central despite market pressures.
The 18A technology represents a bright spot for Intel during challenging times. Customers seem pleased with their first experience using these advanced chips. Moving from design to actual test production marks a critical step toward full manufacturing. Intel continues betting that keeping chip design and manufacturing together gives them advantages against competitors who separate these functions.
Mass production should begin during the latter part of 2025, but early success might push that date forward. The company appears happy with early testing results. In recent messages to staff, new CEO Lip-Bu Tan talks about Intel's path forward. He clearly states that they plan to keep making both chips and foundry services under one roof rather than splitting them apart, as many industry watchers suggested.
People had speculated about different arrangements where Intel might team up with TSMC or let companies like AMD, Broadcom, or NVIDIA buy parts of a separate foundry business. These ideas remain possible but seem less likely today. Tan emphasizes how important manufacturing remains to Intel's overall strategy. His approach matches what previous CEO Pat Gelsinger pushed for - keeping manufacturing central despite market pressures.
The 18A technology represents a bright spot for Intel during challenging times. Customers seem pleased with their first experience using these advanced chips. Moving from design to actual test production marks a critical step toward full manufacturing. Intel continues betting that keeping chip design and manufacturing together gives them advantages against competitors who separate these functions.
