Intel's foundry business is experiencing a long-awaited multi-front breakthrough.
On April 28, according to TrendForce, Apple is reportedly evaluating the use of Intel’s 18A-P process to manufacture its M-series chips, Google is considering leveraging Intel’s EMIB advanced packaging technology to advance its TPU v8e project, and Tesla has confirmed it will adopt Intel’s next-generation 14A process for its Terafab AI complex in Austin.
The叠加 of multiple positive signals has made the narrative of Intel's foundry business recovery increasingly clear. According to A Wall Street Journal article noted that during last week’s earnings call, Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan stated that as the scale of inference and agent-based AI expands, demand for server CPUs is rebounding, with the CPU-to-GPU ratio shifting from approximately 1:8 toward 1:1—a structural shift that has directly increased external interest in Intel’s foundry platform.
On a financial level, the latest earnings report shows that Intel's foundry segment narrowed its first-quarter operating loss to $2.4 billion, a $70 million sequential improvement, driven primarily by higher yields.
Apple and Google are reportedly evaluating Intel platforms.
According to media reports citing supply chain sources, Apple is evaluating the integration of its M-series chips onto Intel’s 18A-P node, while Google is exploring the use of Intel’s EMIB (Embedded Multi-Die Interconnect Bridge) advanced packaging technology for its TPU v8e project, with potential product launches as early as 2027.
It should be noted that the above information remains at the level of media reports and has not been officially confirmed by Apple or Google; it is still uncertain whether these assessments will ultimately result in orders.
Nevertheless, this report itself carries significant signaling value. It notes that analysis suggests the surging global demand for AI chips is driving customers to seek second sources of supply, a trend that has notably enhanced Intel Foundry’s strategic position.
For large tech companies long reliant on a single manufacturing source, the need for supply chain diversification has become increasingly urgent amid today’s geopolitical and capacity competition dynamics.
Tesla signs with 14A; Intel secures its first external foundry customer.
Compared to the evaluation stage of Apple and Google, Tesla and Intel's collaboration has entered a confirmed status.
According to Reuters, Musk said Tesla plans to use Intel's next-generation 14A process to produce custom chips for its Terafab AI complex in Austin, Texas.
This partnership makes Tesla the first known external customer of Intel’s 14A process, marking a significant milestone in the commercialization of Intel Foundry.
Reports indicate that the 14A process is viewed as Intel’s next-generation technology node following 18A. Tesla’s early commitment not only provides substantial order validation for Intel’s foundry business but also signals to the market that confidence in the 14A technology roadmap is growing.
Yield improvement for 18A, customer validation of the chip has commenced
The 18A process is a cornerstone of Intel Foundry’s revival strategy. According to media reports cited by TrendForce, customers have already begun test chip validation on the 18A node, with the core design flow largely completed, while development of the enhanced 18A-P process is progressing in parallel.
Intel CFO David Zinsner stated on the earnings call that improved yields across multiple process nodes—including Intel 4, Intel 3, and Intel 18A—directly supported the narrowing loss in the foundry business.
For in-house mass production, Intel's flagship mobile processor, Panther Lake, and the Clearwater Forest server CPU both use the 18A process.
According to Tom's Hardware, Intel has initiated low-volume production of Core Ultra 300 series "Panther Lake" CPU wafers at its Oregon development facility by the end of 2025, while simultaneously ramping up mass production at Arizona's Fab 52.
Market observers note that the better-than-expected progress in 18A yield and PDK (Process Design Kit) readiness is gradually restoring confidence in Intel's foundry business.
AI is reshaping CPU demand and reevaluating the strategic value of manufacturing partnerships.
The potential revival of Intel's foundry business is closely tied to the structural evolution of AI computing architectures.
Lip-Bu Tan noted on the earnings call that with the rise of agent AI, physical AI, and edge AI, CPUs are once again becoming the central orchestrators and controllers of AI systems, and the CPU-to-GPU ratio is converging toward 1:1, signaling a substantial rebound in server CPU demand.
The strategic significance of this trend for Intel Foundry lies in the full-scale surge in AI chip demand, which is driving tech giants to actively pursue diversified foundry sourcing; Intel, leveraging its technological advancements in the 18A and 14A processes, is positioning itself as a trusted alternative to TSMC.
Analysis suggests that, in addition to internal capacity absorption, onboarding external customers will be the key pathway to achieving scalable profitability for Intel Foundry. Currently, Intel Foundry’s commercialization process is steadily progressing along this path, from yield improvements and customer validation to the formal signing of a contract with Tesla.