Intel Lands Major Contract With Microsoft for 18A Process; Google, NVIDIA, and Others Expected to Follow Suit

So, I’m sitting here, thinking about this whole Intel thing, and it’s just—well, wild. They’ve really hit something with this 18A process. I mean, it’s like their "iPhone moment," right? That’s what everyone’s saying. Suddenly, all the big tech players are buzzing around it.

Okay, let’s dig in. Intel, they’re like this kid in school who’s been trying so hard to catch up with the cool kid, TSMC. You know, everyone was saying TSMC was the it company after this whole deal they had with Trump. I mean, the US loves them, right? All eyes on TSMC’s new digs in the States, sort of like a tech Disneyland. But now, Intel’s pulling this 18A trick out of their hat, and they’re chatting up giants like NVIDIA, Microsoft, and Google. It’s like, "Hey, look over here!"

So Intel showcased the 18A at something called Direct Connect 2025. Sounds fancy, huh? They’re calling it the most advanced gizmo made right in the USA, challenging TSMC’s N2, doing all the techie stuff with sprinkles of SRAM and whatnot. Not that I fully get all that, but it sounds impressive. And clients seem to think so too—pretty sure they’re seeing a golden goose here.

Now, here’s a twist. They’ve got this new CEO, Lip-Bu Tan. Ever heard of him? Anyway, folks say he’s shaking things up, focusing on things like semiconductor designs, packaging, and—get this—foundries. There’s talk about ditching some "IDM 2.0" strategy. Whatever it was, it might mean Intel’s CPUs would get some love again.

And why’s everyone so keen on the 18A, you ask? A part of it, apparently, is TSMC’s dance card being too full. They’re booked solid, pushing people to sneak more peeks at Intel. Sure, Samsung’s trying to elbow in, but it’s like they’re not quite there.

Anyway, it’s like a tech soap opera, isn’t it? Who’s gonna win this race? And why do I keep thinking about this like a binge-worthy series? Maybe because in the tech world, drama never sleeps.