Intel views 2026 as pivotal for its corporate comeback. The company will launch its Panther Lake chips, branded as Core Ultra Series 3, early in the year. These chips represent Intel’s first products built on the advanced 18A process.
This launch is crucial to Intel’s efforts to reclaim product leadership. The company claims the chips deliver significant CPU and GPU speed gains, targeting the growing AI PC market.
The success of the 18A process is central to Intel’s strategy. This success is necessary to challenge competitors like TSMC in the foundry space.
Market attention also focuses on Intel’s ability to capitalize on the AI shift. The company plans to launch its Crescent Island AI processor in the second half of 2026, designed specifically for inference workloads. The coming months will test Intel’s execution on both its foundry and product ambitions.