Chip legend Jim Keller believes Intel’s most advanced manufacturing tech is on the right track—but says the company still has work to do before it becomes a go-to foundry for outside customers.
Industry chatter around Intel’s 18A and 14A nodes has been relatively quiet, making Keller’s perspective especially noteworthy. In a recent interview, the Tenstorrent CEO signaled openness to building on Intel’s leading-edge processes, while stressing that Intel must sharpen its foundry execution and deliver a rock-solid technology roadmap to win sustained external volume.
Keller’s company, Tenstorrent, designs AI accelerators built around the RISC-V architecture and is actively evaluating next-generation nodes. He confirmed that Tenstorrent is in discussions with multiple manufacturers for 2 nm production, including TSMC, Rapidus, and Samsung, and that Intel remains on the table if it proves out its roadmap and manufacturing maturity. That suggests 2 nm will be central to Tenstorrent’s future chips, and the firm is casting a wide net to secure the best path to performance and scale.
Intel, for its part, has been pushing to transform its manufacturing arm into a true foundry business, courting external customers for 18A and future nodes after decades of primarily building for its own products. Keller’s remarks don’t dismiss Intel’s progress; rather, they highlight the opportunity and the challenge ahead. If Intel sustains momentum and demonstrates consistent, high-volume delivery, its cutting-edge processes could power mainstream products from a broader ecosystem of clients.
Keller’s take carries weight. Over a storied career spanning NVIDIA, Apple, Intel, and Tesla, he has helped shape some of the industry’s most important architectures. His message here is balanced: Intel’s technology is promising, and the door is open—but winning the foundry game requires unwavering execution, dependable roadmaps, and the ability to scale for external partners.
What to watch next:
– How quickly Intel can prove 18A readiness for third-party designs
– Foundry selection decisions from AI chipmakers like Tenstorrent as 2 nm ramps
– The pace at which Rapidus, Samsung, and TSMC bring competitive 2 nm capacity online
For now, the signal is clear: competition at the leading edge is intensifying, and the winners will pair breakthrough process technology with predictable delivery and customer-first foundry services.
