Intel Foundry Unveils “Process Leadership” Vision at Direct Connect 2025; Introduces Revolutionary 14A Process and Advanced 18A Derivatives

Okay, so I just stumbled upon this whole spiel about Intel’s Direct Connect. Sounds fancy, right? Yeah, they’re shaking things up with this IFS plan under their new leadership. Trying to turn the ship around before it hits the iceberg, I guess.

### Intel’s 14A Process Sprouts New Tech at Direct Connect. Will It Rock?

So, Intel’s new dude-in-charge, Lip-Bu Tan (ever heard of him? me neither till now), is back in the spotlight at this Direct Connect thing. He’s like the master of ceremonies, laying out Intel’s latest and greatest. It’s like they’re on some kind of tech rollercoaster with new nodes and whatnot. They’re chatting up partners about their fancy 14A stuff, and folks seem kinda impressed. Or at least they’re nodding along for now.

Then there’s this PowerVia 2.0. They’re calling it PowerDirect, which just sounds like a name someone came up with five minutes before lunch. But hey, it’s supposed to do wonders by feeding power through some secret sauce channels. Intel’s flexing, saying they’re ahead of TSMC. Maybe they are? Or maybe it’s just talk.

Check this out though: Intel’s also drumming up noise about 18A-P and 18A-PT. Apparently, the PT stands for something cool — 3D hybrid bonding. This lets them play in TSMC’s sandbox with those complex interconnects. They’re trying to outdo each other with microns. Less is more, or so they say.

It’s all about stacking now, like a high-tech game of Jenga. Foveros Direct — sounds like something out of a sci-fi flick, right? They’re bonding stuff with pitches skinnier than my Monday enthusiasm. Imagine CPUs stacked like Pringles. Delicious.

And then, risk production for 18A. Big words, big promises. HVM is supposed to hit by year’s end. Will they make it? Beats me. We’ve been here before, watching and waiting. The 18A bits are supposed to land on something called Panther Lake. Who names these things? Anyway, it’s set to start rolling out in ’26. Competition heating up and all that.

Oh, and there’s this whole thing about canceling 20A. But fear not! Intel’s buddying up with Synopsys and Cadence to make sure they’re not just running in circles. Teamwork makes the dream work, right?

Let’s see how this pans out. More power to them — literally and figuratively.