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Intel’s New CEO Lip-Bu Tan Brings Underdog Strategy to Revitalize Chipmaker

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Lip-Bu Tan may not be a household name, but he’s about to become one of the most closely watched figures in technology. As the newly appointed CEO of Intel, Tan steps into a leadership role at a pivotal time for the chipmaker, facing the monumental challenge of revitalizing a company that has long been synonymous with Silicon Valley.

Though largely unknown to the public, Tan brings a wealth of experience and a deep network of industry connections. Intel’s customers, from large tech companies to smaller startups, are all familiar with his work—either through companies he backed as a venture capitalist or businesses he ran in the past.

Tan‘s track record is impressive. He’s rubbed shoulders with top figures in the semiconductor industry like Lisa Su, CEO of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), and Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia. Both companies have surpassed Intel in the AI chip market, and reports indicate they were even approached to invest in Intel, underlining Tan’s status within the tech world.

With Intel’s future under scrutiny, especially from U.S. President Donald Trump, who is eager for the company to succeed, Tan’s leadership will be in the spotlight. Independent analyst Jack Gold believes Tan’s extensive industry knowledge and network give him a significant edge, as long as Intel’s board allows him to implement necessary changes without obstruction.

Shares of Intel surged more than 10% in premarket trading on Thursday, signaling investor optimism about Tan’s appointment.

LEAN OPERATOR AND INDUSTRY INSIDER

At 65, Tan’s career has been shaped by a series of bold moves that helped turn smaller, struggling companies into major players. Born in Malaysia, raised in Singapore, and now a U.S. citizen, Tan’s education in nuclear engineering at MIT and business studies in California set the stage for his future success. In 1987, he founded Walden International, a venture capital firm that made bold investments in startup companies with promising chip designs.

Tan was among the first to recognize that small teams with innovative chip ideas could outpace large incumbents. For example, his investment in Annapurna Labs, a company later acquired by Amazon for $370 million, played a key role in the formation of Amazon’s in-house chip division, which now outpaces Intel’s in some areas. He also invested in Nuvia, which Qualcomm bought for $1.4 billion, marking a major shift in the competition for PC and laptop chips.

Tan’s active role in startups that could either challenge or become acquisition targets for Intel keeps him closely connected to the future of chip technology. Recently, he invested in Celestial AI, a photonics-based AI startup, which also has backing from Intel’s rival, AMD.

TRANSFORMING CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS

Tan’s most significant past role was as CEO of Cadence Design Systems, where he took the company from a struggling position to the forefront of chip design. Under Tan’s leadership, Cadence focused on supplying chip design software and partnered closely with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), which specializes in chip manufacturing.

During his tenure, Cadence’s stock surged by an astounding 3,200%, with major clients like Apple shifting to in-house chip designs. Cadence’s tools also became integral to chipmakers such as Broadcom, who rely on TSMC for manufacturing chips used by tech giants like Google and Amazon.

Karl Freund, analyst at Cambrian AI Research, praised Tan for successfully aligning Cadence with TSMC, a strategy that paid off handsomely. Freund believes that Tan’s foresight and leadership transformed Cadence into a vital player in the chip design ecosystem.

A PROMISING FUTURE FOR INTEL

As Tan assumes the helm at Intel, he faces a monumental challenge in turning around a company that has struggled to maintain its leadership in the rapidly evolving chip industry. But with his extensive experience and industry relationships, Tan may be well-positioned to tackle the company’s challenges head-on. His underdog approach could prove to be the key to Intel’s revitalization, ushering in a new era for the tech giant.

TSMC Proposes Joint Venture with Intel’s Foundry Division to Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom

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TSMC (2330.TW) has pitched the idea of a joint venture involving Intel’s (INTC.O) foundry division to major U.S. chip designers, including Nvidia (NVDA.O), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.O), and Broadcom (AVGO.O), according to sources familiar with the discussions. Under the proposal, TSMC, the world’s leading contract chipmaker, would oversee Intel’s foundry operations, which focus on manufacturing chips tailored to customer needs, but TSMC would retain no more than 50% ownership.

The proposal has been discussed with several other firms as well, including Qualcomm (QCOM.O), as part of TSMC’s efforts to partner with chip designers. The discussions are still in their early stages, and any potential deal would require approval from the U.S. government, particularly under the administration of President Donald Trump, who has shown interest in helping Intel recover from its financial struggles. Trump is particularly invested in boosting American manufacturing and supporting companies like Intel in remaining U.S.-owned.

Intel, which reported an $18.8 billion net loss for 2024, has seen a drastic decline in its stock price over the past year. As of December 31, the book value of Intel’s foundry division’s property and plant equipment stood at $108 billion. The company’s recent struggles have pushed its board members to consider various strategic moves, including partnering with TSMC for its foundry operations.

Despite some internal opposition, Intel’s board members have expressed support for exploring a joint venture with TSMC, with Intel’s executives holding different views on the matter. Intel’s foundry division, once a crucial part of Intel’s strategy under former CEO Pat Gelsinger, is now central to the company’s efforts to return to profitability, even as Gelsinger was replaced by interim co-CEOs in December.

TSMC’s push for a joint venture is complicated by the significant differences in manufacturing processes and technologies between the two companies. Intel and TSMC currently employ distinct chipmaking methods, which could pose challenges in aligning operations. Intel has previously partnered with Taiwan’s UMC (2303.TW) and Israel’s Tower Semiconductor (TSEM.TA), offering some precedent for potential collaboration, but the specifics of how such a partnership could function remain uncertain, especially regarding the sharing of trade secrets.

While TSMC’s interest is to involve Intel’s advanced manufacturing customers in the venture, discussions have also centered around Intel’s 18A manufacturing process, a key area of contention in the negotiations. Intel executives have claimed that its 18A technology surpasses TSMC’s 2-nanometer process, with Nvidia and Broadcom already testing Intel’s manufacturing capabilities, alongside AMD exploring the potential of Intel’s processes for its chips.

Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 Chipset Launched, Featuring Upgrades for Gaming and Generative AI

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Qualcomm has unveiled its latest mobile processor, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4, bringing significant upgrades to the mid-range chipset category. Designed to power affordable smartphones, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 promises improved performance, advanced gaming features, and the addition of generative AI capabilities. This new platform marks a major milestone as the first in its series to support Snapdragon Game Super Resolution for enhanced gaming experiences, along with a range of other improvements, such as enhanced low-light photography and faster 5G connectivity. The chipset is positioned to meet the growing demands of mobile users while maintaining efficiency for budget-conscious devices.

The Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 is manufactured using Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s (TSMC) 4nm process technology, marking a shift from Qualcomm’s previous use of a 4nm node from Samsung. This transition to TSMC’s advanced process technology is expected to improve the overall performance and power efficiency of the chipset. By leveraging the latest fabrication methods, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 aims to deliver a more responsive and energy-efficient experience for users.

Under the hood, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 is powered by ARMv9-based CPU cores, with the Cortex-A720 serving as the prime core, clocked at 2.3GHz. Additionally, the chipset features three A720 performance cores, each clocked at 2.2GHz, and four Cortex-A520 efficiency cores running at 2.3GHz. These configurations ensure that the chipset can handle demanding tasks while maintaining power efficiency. For graphics, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 is equipped with the Adreno GPU, which is optimized for smooth gaming and media experiences. The platform also includes the Qualcomm Hexagon NPU, which is dedicated to AI processing and enables the use of generative AI applications on affordable smartphones.

The inclusion of Snapdragon Game Super Resolution (GSR) brings upscaled gaming visuals to a new level, enhancing the gaming experience on devices powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4. The chipset also improves wireless audio sharing via Bluetooth, offering higher quality sound with less latency. Additionally, it offers faster 5G connectivity across more global networks, ensuring that users can take full advantage of next-generation mobile networks. With these upgrades, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 is set to provide an optimized mobile experience for both gaming enthusiasts and users who rely on AI-powered features.