Intel Lands Major Contract with Microsoft for 18A Process; Google, NVIDIA, and Others Set to Follow

Okay, so here’s what I’ve got. Picture this: Intel is like that one kid in class who finally did something amazing and everyone’s freaking out about it. The 18A process is their new “wow” thing. You know, like when iPhones first came out and everyone was like, “Oh man, gotta have that.” Well, now tech giants are buzzing over Intel.

Right, so Intel’s in this big chase—not just for cash—it’s a bit more about stealing some spotlight from TSMC. Remember when Trump did that thing with TSMC? Made them all big in the US. Suddenly, they were the cool kids on the block, leaving Intel to play catch-up, especially with giant clients eyeing the US setups over in Taiwan.

And Intel’s likely ace in the hole? Yeah, it’s the 18A node. Some Korean media—ChosunBiz, if that means anything to you—says they’re whispering sweet nothings with NVIDIA, Microsoft, and Google. Imagine being a fly on that wall! They’re hoping the 18A could be the next go-to alternative compared to TSMC’s N2—fancy stuff, right?

So, Intel’s been waving this 18A banner at events like Direct Connect 2025, calling it the most advanced US-made process out there. Sounds flashy, huh? Apparently, it matches TSMC’s N2 performance-wise and beats Intel’s own previous stuff. Like, if Intel 3 was a flip phone, 18A is a full-on smartphone.

Then there’s this knotted mess with leadership changes. They’ve got this new guy, Lip-Bu Tan, steering the ship. His grand plan? Maybe ditch the “IDM 2.0” strategy—whatever that was. I mean, how does one just “ditch” a strategy? Anyway, they’re banking on some big wins, focusing on semiconductor design automation, whatever that means. And Intel’s CPUs? Well, they might just get some of that focus, too.

Here’s the kicker: TSMC’s lines are like peak-hour traffic. Everyone’s trying to squeeze in, forcing businesses to look for alternatives. So Intel’s sitting pretty, with the giant TSMC trying not to slip on banana peels. Yes, Samsung’s trying too. But they’re not quite there yet.

So, maybe it’s Intel’s time to shine. Or maybe they’ll trip over their own shoelaces. Guess we’ll wait and see.