Intel Foundry Announces “Process Leadership” Strategy at Direct Connect 2025; Introduces Innovative 14A Process and Advanced 18A Derivatives

Intel’s Direct Connect 2025 just happened, and honestly, it was a lot. The new CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, yeah, he took the spotlight again. It’s like he loves this stuff. So, here’s the gist: Intel’s shaking up their foundry roadmap. They’ve got these new 18A derivatives and this fancy 14A process. And, apparently, they’re already showing off these early Process Design Kits (PDK). Customers seem kinda impressed, or at least they’re saying they are.

So, 14A. What’s the deal? They’ve got this PowerVia 2.0 thing, now called PowerDirect. It’s all about boosting efficiency and managing power better, which is, frankly, a bit ahead of TSMC. Intel’s got big plans—domination isn’t off the table.

Here’s something fun: the 18A derivatives, named 18A-P and 18A-PT. It sounds super techy because it is. The 18A-PT is Intel’s first node with Foveros Direct 3D hybrid bonding—means they can stack those chiplets using Through-Silicon Vias. Fancy, right? It’s like they’re playing catch-up, but also trying to leap ahead of TSMC.

Risk production for the 18A process has started. This basically means they’re testing the waters, seeing if this stuff will hold up for real-world applications. If things go well, they’ll ramp up with High Volume Manufacturing by the end of this year, if you believe what they say. The 18A is headed for Panther Lake SoCs. Think beginning of 2026 for mass production. Oh, and it’s supposed to match TSMC’s N2 node.

And about that 20A node? Cancelled. Instead, Intel Foundry is cozying up more with partners. It’s all about building a foundry ecosystem now. They’ve got big names like Synopsys and Cadence in the mix, hoping this improves their game. Guess we’ll see if it leads to any breakthroughs or just more corporate buzzwords.