Shares of Intel (INTC +4.03%) rose on Wednesday, following a Reuters report that the semiconductor giant is in talks with South Korean tech leader SK Hynix (SKHY +0.02%) to produce memory chips in the U.S.
Image source: Intel.
Intel wants to become a leading manufacturer of AI chips
A potential deal could provide a major boost to Intel's fledgling foundry efforts. The computer processor designer has been trying to win high-profile clients for its third-party manufacturing operations, which are a cornerstone of CEO Lip-Bu Tan's growth plan.
SK Hynix is a leading producer of high-bandwidth memory (HBM), dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), and NAND flash memory, all of which are in high demand due to the artificial intelligence (AI) boom.
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While the talks are apparently ongoing, investors should note that SK Hynix said, "no specific plans or arrangements have been finalized at this time."
The U.S wants to boost domestic chip manufacturing
A deal would likely have the full support of the Trump administration, which has long sought to bolster the nation's semiconductor supply chain and strengthen U.S. leadership in AI.
However, it's less clear whether the South Korean government would allow SK Hynix to move production of its advanced chips to the U.S. South Korea's trade ministry told Reuters that any deal involving a "national core technology" would be subject to review under the country's Industrial Technology Protection Act.
