Intel Corporation and the evolution of the global microprocessor industry

Intel Corporation, founded in 1968 by Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce, began as a memory maker but changed history when it introduced the 4004 microprocessor in 1971, giving birth to the modern CPU industry.

The company’s x86 architecture, launched with the 8086 in 1978, became the de-facto standard for personal computers, evolving through Pentium, Core, and now Core Ultra families that power everything from ultrabooks to AI workstations.

Intel operates a globe-spanning manufacturing network, including fabs in Arizona, Ohio, Ireland, and Israel, where extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) lithography prints transistors smaller than a virus on 300 mm wafers.

Beyond processors, Intel designs Arc discrete GPUs, Habana AI accelerators, Agilex FPGAs, Optane SSDs, and Ethernet controllers, offering a full silicon stack for cloud, edge, and client devices.

With the new Intel Foundry Services, the company is opening its advanced process nodes and 3-D chiplet packaging to outside customers, aiming to reclaim manufacturing leadership and diversify global supply chains by 2025.