Intel Fuels AI Ambitions with Major SambaNova Investment and Adoption Deal

Feb 26, 2026 (17 hr ago)

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Intel strategically invested in AI startup SambaNova and secured a multiyear deal for hardware adoption to enhance its data center competitiveness.

Strategic AI Partnership with SambaNova

Intel participated in SambaNova's $350 million funding round, overseen by CEO Lip-Bu Tan, to bolster its position against rivals in AI6
SambaNova will adopt Intel server processors and graphics cards under a new multiyear collaboration agreement7
This collaboration provides Intel with another proof point demonstrating its efforts to remain relevant in AI data center workloads1
Intel previously explored acquiring SambaNova for $1.6 billion, indicating long-term strategic interest in the firm9

The company is actively developing its proprietary graphics card to compete more effectively in the rapidly growing AI chip market8

Intel's heavy spending on manufacturing and R&D is expected to keep margins under pressure and cash flows tight in the near term5
The company's 2028 revenue and earnings forecasts require substantial annual growth from current levels to be realized4
Outside confidence in the turnaround is highlighted by Nvidia's recent investment in Intel3

Intel holds a previous agreement to manufacture custom Xeon 6 server chips specifically for Amazon10