Intel looks to level up in AI race

Intel is making a bold comeback in the AI race by betting on a new chip that’s cheaper to produce and easier to deploy—without relying on expensive high-bandwidth memory or liquid cooling. The strategy, led by new CEO Pat Gelsinger, isn’t about matching NVIDIA and AMD in training cutting-edge models, but about dominating the infrastructure layer: servers, connectivity, and software. This shift marks a rare pivot from Intel’s past failures and has already driven its stock up over 200% this year. Yet the stakes remain sky-high—success hinges on landing a major customer like Apple and delivering a competitive AI product. Meanwhile, a potential alliance between NVIDIA and Microsoft could challenge Apple in the premium PC market, while China’s massive investment in Moroccan auto manufacturing is raising alarms in Brussels over 'proxy dumping' through trade loopholes. Despite global tensions, economic resilience is holding, with inflation impacts from the Iran war far milder than in 2022. Gen Z, meanwhile, is caught in a paradox—using AI weekly but feeling increasingly angry, anxious, and devalued by it.