According to The Wall Street Journal, Broadcom is said to be interested in Intel’s chip designs while TSMC may want to take over the company’s manufacturing capabilities. Although nothing is official, Intel’s acting chairman Frank Yeary is reported to have met with potential buyers and representatives from the Trump administration.
With Intel being a major recipient of funds from the US CHIPS and Science Act (having received up to $7.86 billion in aid), any buyout would have to take into account US security requirements and would require Intel to retain majority ownership of its factories in a sale.
One solution being discussed is for Broadcom and TSMC to split Intel, with one part of the company focusing on design and another on production. Intel’s manufacturing division already has a degree of autonomy and reports its finances separately.
Intel, which once dominated the CPU market, has been overtaken by TSMC in semiconductor manufacturing. Yet, despite the challenges, Intel remains a significant player in the semiconductor industry. Microsoft has chosen Intel’s chips for its latest Surface devices, and the company is still one of the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturers.
Further reading: Bill Gates says ‘Intel has lost its way’