Patrick McGee: Can Intel Save America?

The article explains that the AI boom initially centered around GPUs, the powerful chips made famous by Nvidia. However, as AI systems become more advanced and autonomous, CPUs are becoming essential again because they coordinate and manage AI workloads inside data centers. Since Intel has historically dominated the CPU market, this shift has created new momentum for the company.

McGee also outlines how Intel lost its technological edge over the past two decades by missing key industry shifts, including smartphones, advanced chip manufacturing, and AI-focused GPUs. Former CEO Pat Gelsinger attempted to reinvent Intel by turning it into a contract manufacturer similar to TSMC, but the company struggled financially and investor confidence collapsed.

The company’s fortunes changed in 2025 with the appointment of Lip-Bu Tan as CEO. Tan aggressively restructured Intel, cut thousands of jobs, refocused the company around AI, and helped restore confidence among investors, the U.S. government, and major tech companies. Following a meeting with President Trump, the U.S. government took a 9.9% stake in Intel, signaling how strategically important the company has become to American national security and economic stability.

The article ultimately argues that Intel’s future is tied directly to America’s technological independence. Today, many of the world’s largest tech companies rely almost entirely on Taiwan for advanced chip production. If China were ever to disrupt Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, the economic consequences for the United States would be severe. McGee suggests that if Intel can successfully scale its chip manufacturing business and compete with TSMC, it could reduce that vulnerability and reshape the global balance of technological power.

Visit The Free Press to read the full article by Patrick McGee.

Patrick McGee brings rare insight to audiences seeking to understand the future of global business and technology. A longtime journalist with the Financial Timesand former reporter for The Wall Street Journal, he has spent more than a decade covering Apple, electric vehicles, and emerging technologies around the world. His reporting and bestselling book Apple in China draw on hundreds of interviews with executives and engineers to reveal how modern supply chains shape economic power. McGee’s engaging storytelling and deep research make complex topics accessible, giving audiences a clearer understanding of how technology, geopolitics, and global markets are evolving. To host him, contact us.