“We are building a new Intel”: Lip-Bu Tan leads U.S. manufacturing push for the AI era
At its new Arizona factory, Intel stakes a claim to America’s semiconductor future with its first 2-nanometer-class node built on U.S. soil.
Intel has revealed the full architecture of its next-generation client processor, the Intel Core Ultra Series 3, code-named Panther Lake, marking a pivotal moment for the company and for U.S. chipmaking. Panther Lake is Intel’s first product built on its 18A process node, the most advanced semiconductor technology ever developed and manufactured in the United States.
The processor, expected to begin shipping later this year, will be followed by Clearwater Forest, Intel’s first 18A-based server chip, due in the first half of 2026. Both are being manufactured at Fab 52 in Chandler, Arizona, Intel’s newest and most advanced production facility, a symbol of the company’s bid to restore U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing and secure a more resilient global supply chain.
“We are entering an exciting new era of computing, made possible by great leaps forward in semiconductor technology that will shape the future for decades to come,” said Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan. “The United States has always been home to Intel’s most advanced R&D, product design and manufacturing, and we are proud to build on this legacy as we expand our domestic operations and bring new innovations to the market.”
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The Intel 18A process, named for its 1.8-nanometer class node, is the first of its kind developed and produced entirely in the United States. It promises up to 15% better performance per watt and 30% improved chip density compared with Intel’s prior generation.
For Tan, who took over leadership amid an intense global race for AI compute capacity and semiconductor dominance, the 18A milestone is about more than performance metrics. It marks the reassertion of Intel’s industrial identity, one that blends deep U.S. engineering roots with a manufacturing-first strategy.
“Our next-gen compute platforms, combined with our leading-edge process technology, manufacturing and advanced packaging capabilities, are catalysts for innovation across our business as we build a new Intel,” Tan said.
