[News] Intel Reportedly Doubles Down on Panther Lake as Key Product for Commercial Customers in 2026

Despite concerns over potential delays, Intel stated that Panther Lake will begin production in the second half of 2025. Notably, the company claims the processor will be a key product for commercial customers in 2026, as per a report from Nikkei.

The declaration was made by David Feng, Intel’s VP of client computing group, according to Nikkei. The flagship processor is expected to be fabricated with Team Blue’s 18A node.

Previous reports have suggested potential delays for Panther Lake. According to Wccftech and Technews, mass production of the processor may be pushed to mid-Q4 2025, instead of the originally planned September launch.

According to Nikkei, in addition to reaffirming positive progress on the chip, Feng predicts 2025 will be a growth year for the PC industry, driven by replacement demand and the rise of AI PCs. Intel shipped around 40 million AI PCs in 2024, and is on track to hit 100 million by 2025, marking a roughly 150% year-on-year increase, as noted by Nikkei.

New Assurance Program to Launch in 2H25

Meanwhile, Nikkei notes that Intel will launch a supply chain assurance program later in 2025 to meet the rising demand for transparency in chipmaking.

Notably, the program will cover chip plants in the U.S., Ireland, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Malaysia, excluding facilities in Israel, China, and Costa Rica, the report suggests. However, Intel did not explain why these five locations were chosen for the program, as mentioned in the report.

Lenovo and HP, the world’s two largest PC makers, will be among the first to adopt Intel’s new program for government-use desktops and laptops, as well as high-security industries, according to Nikkei.

Intel explained that customers can now select the country of origin for the chips they buy, as highlighted in the Nikkei report. Starting in December 2027, U.S. government agencies will be prohibited from purchasing products with chips made in China, the report suggests.

Read more

• [News] NVIDIA and Broadcom Reportedly Test Intel’s 18A as AMD Also Eyes Potential Deal
• [News] Intel’s Panther Lake Mass Production Reportedly Slips to 4Q25: More 18A Hurdles Ahead?

(Photo credit: Intel)