Intel set to unveil Panther Lake AI chip at CES
Intel will launch its new Panther Lake AI chip for laptops on Monday at CES in Las Vegas. The company wants to reassure investors about its first product built using the next-generation 18A manufacturing process.
Jim Johnson, Intel’s senior VP and general manager of the PC group, will present details about the chip at 6 p.m. EST (2300 GMT). The Panther Lake chips feature a new transistor design and an improved power delivery system.
Next-generation design and performance
Intel’s previous Lunar Lake chips were mostly made by TSMC. Panther Lake marks Intel’s first high-volume product using its 18A process. The company hopes it will help regain market share from AMD.
Intel claims the new chips’ graphics and central processors deliver 50% faster performance than Lunar Lake. The company faced challenges with yield—the number of functioning chips per wafer—but executives say yields are steadily improving and are ready for this year’s launch.
CES competition heats up
AMD will also speak at CES. CEO Lisa Su is expected to unveil AI- and graphics-focused PC chips at 9:30 p.m. EST (0230 GMT Tuesday). AMD recently signed a multibillion-dollar deal with OpenAI for next-generation MI400 chips, which could generate tens of billions in revenue this year.
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, another leader in AI chips, will speak at CES on Monday as well.
The race for AI and high-performance chips
CES highlights the growing competition among Intel, AMD, and Nvidia in AI and high-performance computing. Panther Lake will be Intel’s first chance to prove its 18A process can compete at scale, while AMD and Nvidia continue to expand their AI chip portfolios.
