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Intel Weighs Sale of Networking and Edge Unit in Strategic Refocus Under New CEO

Intel is considering divesting its networking and edge computing division — previously known as NEX — as part of a broader strategy to streamline operations and refocus on its core strengths in PC and data center chips, according to sources familiar with internal discussions.

Under new CEO Lip-Bu Tan, the tech giant is evaluating the relevance of its diverse business units to prioritize areas where it maintains market leadership. Tan emphasized at an event in Taipei that Intel commands 68% of the PC chip market and 55% of the data center chip market, and plans to “expand and build on” those domains.

Although no formal sale process has been launched yet, Intel has initiated early-stage discussions, spoken with third parties potentially interested in the NEX business, and interviewed investment banks to possibly advise on the transaction. However, no advisor has been officially retained, and options remain open.

Sources indicate that the networking and edge unit — which generated $5.8 billion in revenue in 2024 — is no longer seen as essential to Intel’s growth plans. The company now folds NEX’s financials into its broader PC and data center segments, eliminating separate reporting.

The telecom-focused segment within NEX is especially seen as misaligned with Intel’s new direction, and competitors like Broadcom dominate significant parts of the networking market, further reducing Intel’s strategic incentive to compete there.

While Intel has not committed to a full divestiture, it may explore partnerships, stake sales, or restructuring alternatives. The potential NEX sale follows other recent portfolio adjustments — notably, the $4.46 billion sale of a majority stake in its Altera unit to SilverLake in April. That move came after previously planned IPO ambitions for Altera under former CEO Pat Gelsinger.

Despite this refocusing, Intel continues to face pressure as it loses ground in the PC and data center markets, making Tan’s efforts a critical pivot point for the company’s future trajectory.

OpenAI and Meta in Talks with Reliance for AI Partnerships

OpenAI and Meta Platforms have reportedly held separate discussions with India’s Reliance Industries regarding potential partnerships to expand their artificial intelligence offerings in the country, according to a report from The Information on Saturday.

One possibility under consideration involves a partnership between Reliance Jio and OpenAI to distribute ChatGPT in India. Additionally, OpenAI has reportedly discussed lowering the subscription price of ChatGPT to a few dollars per month, although it is unclear if this price reduction is part of the talks with Reliance.

Reliance Industries is also exploring selling OpenAI’s models to its enterprise customers via an application programming interface (API) and has discussed hosting and running OpenAI models locally to ensure data from Indian customers remains within the country. The conglomerate has expressed interest in using a planned three-gigawatt data center, which would be the largest in the world, located in Jamnagar, Gujarat, to run both OpenAI and Meta’s AI models.

Meta has declined to comment on the report, and neither OpenAI nor Reliance have provided immediate responses.

Reliance Industries, led by Mukesh Ambani, is one of India’s largest conglomerates, with operations spanning petrochemicals, refining, telecommunications, retail, and green energy.

Oracle Explores Data Center Investment in Indonesia’s Batam Island

Oracle Corp is in talks with the Indonesian government to establish a new cloud services center on Batam Island, according to Bloomberg News. The company is considering Nongsa Digital Park, a location that benefits from free trade zone status and its strategic proximity to Singapore and Malaysia. Oracle has ongoing cloud service initiatives in both countries, further fueling its interest in the region.

Earlier in October, Oracle revealed plans to invest over $6.5 billion to create its first public cloud region in Malaysia. Oracle’s expansion in Southeast Asia is part of a broader effort to grow its global infrastructure, which spans Asia from Japan to New Zealand and extends to India, as stated by Garrett Ilg, Oracle’s Executive Vice President for Japan and Asia Pacific.

The company’s cloud infrastructure in Singapore already includes two data centers, and Oracle operates 50 public cloud regions across 24 countries, underscoring its expanding global presence. As Oracle continues to broaden its reach, it is expected that Batam Island will play a key role in its ambitious regional strategy.

Oracle, Indonesia’s Investment Ministry, and Communication Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.