The US chipmaker Intel has reportedly approached Apple seeking investments or a partnership, in a bid to stabilize the company’s struggling chip business. The US government is taking initiatives to revive Intel and expand its chip foundry business.
In August 2025, the Trump administration acquired a 9.9% stake in Intel for USD 8.9 billion (approx. INR 78,948 crores), using USD 5.7 billion in unspent CHIPS Act grants and USD 3.2 billion from the Secure Enclave program. This made the US government one of Intel’s largest shareholders while giving the company access to crucial funding.
Ever since the US government’s positive support, Intel stock has seen a spike, and Nvidia, a major AI chip supplier, announced investments worth USD 5 billion (approx. INR 44,310 crores) to work with Intel on chips for personal computers and data centers.
The latest report of Intel approaching Apple is not a surprise, as the need for major customers and financial backing is rising to expand Intel’s foundry business. The Bloomberg report, however, suggests that the talks are still at an early stage and may not lead to an agreement.
There have also been earlier reports indicating Apple is evaluating Intel’s advanced 14A process node, which was announced a few months ago, for future M-series chips, potentially diversifying away from its sole reliance on TSMC.
But this would take more time, as Intel is sharing Intel 14A Process Design Kits (PDKs) with potential customers, and mass production at scale would take time.
We should see how this story develops, and Intel’s strategy to compete with industry leaders like TSMC in chip foundry and Nvidia in AI chip manufacturing.