Intel, AMD Warn China Clients of Lengthy CPU Delays

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Intel and AMD have notified customers in China of significant supply shortages for server central processing units, with delivery lead times stretching weeks—and in some cases months—according to people familiar with the matter. Intel has warned some clients that deliveries could take up to six months, while AMD has flagged delays of eight to ten weeks for certain products.

The constraints have pushed prices for Intel’s server CPUs in China up by more than 10% in general, sources said, as booming investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure strains not only AI accelerators but the broader supply chain. Shortages appear especially acute for Intel’s fourth- and fifth-generation Xeon processors, where deliveries are being rationed amid a backlog of unfulfilled orders.

Intel said rapid AI adoption has driven strong demand for “traditional compute,” adding that inventories are at their lowest in the first quarter but should improve from the second quarter through 2026. AMD said it has boosted supply capacity and remains confident in meeting global demand through supplier agreements, including its manufacturing partnership with TSMC.

China accounts for more than 20% of Intel’s revenue, with major customers including cloud and server providers such as Alibaba and Tencent. The shortages reflect manufacturing constraints, capacity prioritization for AI chips, and tight memory supply—pressures that are compounding challenges for AI developers and enterprise customers alike.

Big Tech’s Quarter in Four Charts: AI Spending and Cloud Growth

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U.S. technology giants are sharply increasing spending as they double down on artificial intelligence, intensifying investor scrutiny over whether returns can justify lofty valuations. Companies including Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta Platforms are expected to pour more than $630 billion into AI-related investments this year, even as profitability gains lag the pace of outlays.

Capital spending highlights the scale of the push. Amazon is leading with plans for roughly $200 billion, followed by Alphabet at up to $185 billion and Meta at as much as $135 billion. Analysts warn that markets are increasingly unforgiving of heavy investment without clear signals of returns on invested capital.

Cloud performance shows divergent momentum. Google Cloud delivered the fastest growth in the December quarter, rising 48%, buoyed by adoption of its Gemini AI model. Amazon Web Services posted 24% growth, while Microsoft Azure grew 39%.

Profit trends were uneven as higher costs weighed on Amazon and Meta, while Microsoft reported its strongest profit growth in two years. Market capitalization reflected shifting sentiment: optimism around Gemini and partnerships tied to Apple’s Siri refresh helped Alphabet’s shares outperform peers in recent months. Together, the charts underscore a sector betting big on AI—while investors wait for clearer proof of payoff.

EU Charges TikTok Over Addictive App Design Under DSA

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The European Union has charged TikTok with breaching online content rules, accusing the app of using addictive design features that could harm users, particularly minors. The move follows a year-long probe by the European Commission under the Digital Services Act, which empowers regulators to demand changes or impose fines of up to 6% of a company’s global turnover.

Regulators cited features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and highly personalized recommendations as mechanisms that encourage compulsive use. The Commission said TikTok failed to adequately assess risks to users’ physical and mental wellbeing and did not implement sufficient safeguards, including effective screen-time controls and parental tools.

TikTok rejected the allegations, calling the preliminary findings false and saying it would challenge them. EU officials said the platform may be required to redesign core elements in Europe, including disabling infinite scroll over time, adding meaningful breaks—especially at night—and adapting its recommender system.

The action underscores the EU’s broader crackdown on Big Tech, with similar DSA charges previously brought against Meta Platforms’ Facebook and Instagram over deceptive interface designs. Regulators are also scrutinizing age-verification systems at Snapchat, YouTube, Apple, and Google as governments debate tougher limits on teen access to social media.