Microsoft will produce its own chips based on the Intel 18A process

Today, Intel announced its decision to change the name of its chip business from the current Intel Foundry Services to Intel Foundry. Along with the rebranding, the company announced that its semiconductor production and sales activities will also be radically improved, with the orientation of becoming "the world's first semiconductor manufacturing facility located in foundation for the AI ​​era".

In related news, Microsoft - one of Intel's largest business partners - will also be the first major customer of Intel Foundry. Intel said the Redmond company will use the Intel 18A process with its foundry to produce Microsoft-branded chips, or optimally designed for the company's software and hardware ecosystem. ty.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella appeared at the Intel Foundry Direct Connect event to officially confirm the news. In an Intel press release, CEO Nadella said:

We are in the midst of an exciting, fundamental change that will bring fundamental innovation in productivity to individual organizations and entire industries. To achieve this vision, we need a reliable supply of the most advanced, high-performance and high-quality semiconductors. That's why we're excited to partner with Intel Foundry, and why we chose to design and manufacture chips on the Intel 18A process.

There are currently no details revealed regarding the new chip that Intel Foundry will produce for Microsoft. However, in an announcement from November 2023, Microsoft said it would launch at least two new processors custom designed specifically for AI workloads in 2024.

Back to Intel, the company took advantage of today's event to showcase its production roadmap for the next few years. The Intel 18A process will be ready for full product design by the end of 2024. The more advanced Intel 14A process has also been mentioned, but that will be a story for the future.

Jessica Tanner

Update 24 February 2024