Intel Said It Might Stop Making Advanced Chips - Then Musk Called

Business Onion · 2:58

In July 2025, Intel told its own investors, in writing, that if it couldn't find a major outside customer for its next chipmaking process, it might pause or discontinue advanced chipmaking altogether. Eight months later, Elon Musk needed exactly one thing he couldn't buy: someone who knew how to run a chip factory. Samsung and TSMC already make Tesla's chips — but in their fabs, on their schedules, behind every other customer on Earth. On April 7th, 2026, Intel joined Terafab. Its shares rose about 16% in two days, and April became Intel's best month on the stock market since 1974. Only one of these companies was in trouble. But Musk needed the one thing only Intel could sell him, and Intel needed exactly one customer to keep going — and nothing between them is signed.