Applied Materials and Intel partner to speed AI chipmaking

Applied Materials and Intel are collaborating to accelerate chipmaking advances for next-generation transistors, interconnects and advanced packaging technologies. The effort links Applied Materials’ EPIC Center in Silicon Valley with Intel’s R&D campus in Hillsboro, Oregon, with the goal of shortening time-to-market for semiconductor technologies needed for AI computing.

The companies are working on next-generation materials, process technologies and device architectures across front-end and back-end-of-line advancements, including interconnect scaling. The partnership also includes advanced packaging technologies for Foveros-based 3D stacking, targeting higher interconnect density, improved power delivery and better thermal performance for high-performance compute platforms supporting agentic AI workloads.

Applied Materials CEO Gary Dickerson said closer collaboration at the EPIC Center will help accelerate transistor, interconnect and packaging innovation. Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan said rising demand for AI computing is increasing the need for performance, power efficiency and packaging gains, while Intel Foundry executive Naga Chandrasekaran said the center can help teams move materials development and process innovations faster toward high-volume manufacturing.