The unveiling of the AI PC chips during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas marked Intel’s first launch of a product using its latest 18A manufacturing process. Intel said Tuesday that the Core Ultra Series 3 chips, dubbed “Panther Lake, are in production, ramping, and available for order this week.

Intel (INTC) stock rises 1.6% after Panther Lake launch at CES and Melius upgrade to buy. Nvidia completes $5B investment in chipmaker as 18A ramp begins.

One of the main drivers of Intel stock's performance in 2025 was a series of deals Tan struck. First, Tan secured an $8.9 billion equity investment from the U.S. Government, unlocking existing grant money that hadn't yet been delivered. Intel also received a $2 billion equity investment from SoftBank, further strengthening its balance sheet.

Nvidia finalized a $5B Intel stake after FTC approval, buying 214.7M shares. The move bolsters Intel’s foundry push as 18A ramps.

Articul8, an enterprise AI company spun out of Intel in early 2024, has secured more than half of a planned $70 million funding round at a $500 million pre-money valuation, according to its CEO, as it looks to capitalize on growing demand for AI systems in regulated industries.