The possibility of intelid for a long time . Two years before leaving this company, Pat Gelsinger, the previous Director General of Intel, acknowledged that he saw with good eyes the possibility that the network of integrated circuit factories will be broken down from the company’s matrix.
At that time, more than three years ago this was already an interesting option to increase the competitiveness of its chips production plants, and in current circumstances it seems even more advantageous. At the beginning of last April, Reuters and The Information assured that the Boards of Intel and TSMC had reached a principle of agreement that was pursuing to constitute a joint business responsible for the management of Intel semiconductor factories.
The plan entailed TSMC acquiring a 20% participation in the new company, presumed to leave Intel with a majority stake . However, this initiative did not materialize, but the possibility of splitting Intel’s chip factories from the company’s matrix remains a topic of discussion. Recently, the Japanese investment group SoftBank has emerged as a potential player interested in controlling the Intel Integrated Circuit Production Infrastructure, as stated by the Financial Times.
SoftBank has something very important: the support of the US government
As previously discussed, SoftBank has injected $2 billion into Intel, establishing itself as the sixth-largest shareholder of the company. According to Reuters, this Japanese investment group has pledged not to engage in the Board of Directors and will refrain from purchasing integrated circuits produced by the American chip manufacturer. Nevertheless, SoftBank’s ambitions do not end there. As reported by the Financial Times, Masayoshi Son, the CEO of SoftBank, has an interest in Intel’s chip factories.
SoftBank has promised not to participate in the Board of Directors of Intel
In fact, prior to finalizing its $2 billion investment in Intel, SoftBank communicated its interest in acquiring full control of the semiconductor production subsidiary to Intel’s Board of Directors. While one might speculate that the US government would oppose a foreign firm taking complete control of Intel’s chip factories, it’s essential to recognize that SoftBank is not just any foreign company.
One of the significant initiatives launched during the Trump administration to safeguard US leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) is the Stargate project . This plan involves collaboration between an American company, OpenAI, and SoftBank. OpenAI primarily focuses on technology and infrastructure development, while SoftBank oversees financial management. Stargate is expected to require an investment of $500 billion , and it appears that the US government trusts SoftBank enough to include it in such a vital operation.
In the upcoming weeks, we will see if SoftBank’s plans to acquire Intel’s chip factories materialize. There’s a reasonable expectation that the administration will not stand as an obstacle.
Image | Intel
More information | Financial Times
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