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A lot of this talk has centered onIntel Foundry, the division of the company that actually manufactures semiconductors.

What is a process node and what makes Intel 18A so special?

A chip wafer manufactured at Intel Foundry

The COVID-19-driven supply chain issues in 2020 and 2021 revealed a real weakness in the globalized production model.

But it is also ageopolitical crisis point vis-a-vis China, which believes Taiwan belongs under mainland rule.

This potential conflict over Taiwan means the global supply of the most advanced semiconductors could be threatened.

Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger holding a wafer at Computex 2024 keynote

Reducing this dependence on TSMC is reason enough to want Intel 18A to succeed.

What would 18A mean for Intel?

Understandably, Intel is very bullish on 18A.

CPU with the contacts facing up lying on the motherboard of the PC. the chip is highlighted with blue light

TSMC

A mockup of the Intel LGA 1851 motherboard socket