Intel trying to poach South Korean chip design firms away from Samsung, build on Intel Foundry

Intel is reportedly trying to poach South Korean chip design firms that are building processors with Samsung, as Intel Foundry wants to become the world's biggest and best semiconductor firm on the planet.

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TSMC is the leader right now, but Intel Foundry is set on becoming the second-biggest semiconductor manufacturer behind TSMC soon while overtaking the Taiwanese giant in 2026 with its next-generation Intel 14A process node. Samsung has multiple big partners and customers in South Korea, but a new report from Digitimes suggests Intel Foundry is trying to woo these firms to build their chips with Intel.

• Read more: Meta switches from TSMC to Samsung for AI chips, 'uncertainty and volatility'
• Read more: Samsung's next-gen 2nm-class node will have backside power delivery

Intel's recent win with Microsoft's new chip being the first customer for its new Intel 18A process node has South Korean firms rattled because if a big tech company like Microsoft is building on Intel fabs, then that could be a loss to Samsung. That could lead to a domino effect, especially as Intel proves itself with future nodes over the years.

Meta recently switched from TSMC to Samsung Foundry for its AI processors, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg noting "uncertainty and volatility" with TSMC. Intel Foundry would also be looking at this, trying to win over big companies from its South Korean rival Samsung.

We also have Rebellions, a South Korea fabless AI chip startup that recently announced it's building its next-gen AI chip with Samsung, and collaborating with the company on its Rebel AI chip. You can read more on that story below:

• Read more: Rebellions is a South Korean fabless AI chip startup, partnered with Samsung

Intel has been in the headlines plenty over the last few months, where it's pushing hard into being the world's best semiconductor manufacturing company, trying to beat Taiwanese Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) which is the best in the world at what it does.

You can read more stories on Intel below:

• Read more: Intel plans to have fully AI-automated chip factories with 'Cobots' in the future
• Read more: Intel unveils its new Intel 14A process node, ready for the future of AI chips
• Read more: TSMC: next-gen 1nm-class monolithic chips with 1 trillion transistors by 2030
• Read more: TSMC preps for 1nm production, next-gen facility in Taiwan
• Read more: Intel: 2026 until it beats TSMC at making the world's fastest chips
• Read more: Intel targets 1 trillion transistors on a single package by 2030
• Read more: Intel CEO: we want 1 trillion transistors in a single package by 2030