CNBC video – Tour of an Intel factory in the US. A chip manufacturing plant that is being expanded and renewed as part of CEO Pat Gelsinger’s bold plan to restore Intel’s control of the market. The plan is to catch up with the tiny chip manufacturing currently dominated by Samsung and TSMC. Intel invests in the program more than 44 billion dollars worldwide, of which about 26 billion in the US alone.
In 1990, 37% of the world’s semiconductors were manufactured in the US (according to the Semiconductor Industry Association). In 2021, the US market share will drop to 12%, according to the association. Analysts say that Intel “took its eye off the ball” or “got off the treadmill” , did not pay attention to changes in a dynamic and rapidly changing industry and lost its edge in the chip market. In addition to the Corona crisis, this is also one of the reasons for the severe shortage of chips for the smartphone and car industries.
Intel plans to return with the production of chips so efficient that the company does not measure them in nanometers but in an even smaller unit of measurement called angstroms . According to Intel, the chip, which is under development and is scheduled to be released in 2025, will accelerate the company beyond its competitors.