What you need to know
- A new report suggests Intel could be on Apple’s acquisition alley to bolster its AI advances.
- The report also suggests that Samsung has better standing to acquire Intel out of the possible takeovers, including Qualcomm and Apple.
- If Apple closes the deal, it could free itself from an overreliance on TSMC for chips.
Intel has found itself between a rock and a hard place over the past few months. Its problems can be traced back to CEO Pat Gelsinger announcing the firm’s decision to lay off 15,000 employees in unprecedented cuts that could see the chipmaker attempt $10 billion in savings through 2025.
The firm’s financial struggles have spread like wildfire, opening it up to potential outsider interference and hostile takeovers. Speaking of takeovers, Tom S. discussed the possibility of Apple acquiring Intel at the Moore’s Law Is Dead YouTube channel (via Tom’s Guide).
Perhaps more interestingly, Apple isn’t the only major tech corporation looking to acquire Intel. Samsung is also interested in acquiring or, at the very least, merging with the chipmaker.
As you may know, Intel and AMD announced a collaboration, forming the x86 Ecosystem Advisory Group at the just-concluded Lenovo Tech World 24 conference. This could be an attempt to keep up with Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon Elite chips, which ship with Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs to power next-gen AI features like Live Translations, Super Resolution, and more.
While Intel and Apple have yet to confirm if the rumors are true, the information should be taken with a grain of salt. Interestingly, Tom suggests Samsung is likely to come out on top as it’s closer to striking a deal with the chipmaker.
An Intel acquisition could bolster Apple’s advances in AI
Compared to its competitors in the AI landscape, Apple is seemingly joining the fray a tad late. However, this is Apple’s MO. As you may know, privacy and security concerns continue to mount as AI advances.
It’s possible that the iPhone maker held back from investing in AI to maintain its privacy and security stature. This could be part of Apple’s strategy, which suggests that while the company isn’t always the first in line to hop on emerging trends, it often emerges as the best because of its execution.
To this end, Apple heavily relies on TSMC for chips. With the company announcing and launching its new AI strategy – Apple Intelligence, its demand for sophisticated AI chips will go high. Consequently, it’ll have to spend vast sums of money to keep up with the ever-evolving technology amid investor concern over profit gains in the category.
If Apple acquires Intel, the iPhone maker could free itself from an overreliance on TSMC for chips.
