Question US Government encouraging AMD to buy Intel

Thunder 57 · Nov 5, 2024

deasd said:
If AMD-Intel deal exist, I believe the x86 license and some other patents related to PC/DC are what AMD wants though. But unfortunately neither combination nor acquisition between these two companies are likely happen cuz this would trigger monopoly investigation. IF, only if US goverment doing tricks, but this would be way off my imagination.

Why is that unfortunate? Who wants an x86 monopoly?

Thunder 57 · Nov 5, 2024

Josh128 said:
Just like last time? lol

Yea, I don't understand where some of these ideas come from. best not to get in to politics though.

DZero · Nov 5, 2024

Thunder 57 said:
Yea, I don't understand where some of these ideas come from. best not to get in to politics though.

That is the issue, the politics would be involved and that won't be a good scenario for everyone.

The reason is that x86 is strategic for USA now. Seeing that their flagship Intel is on trouble they want to help them in some or other way.

gdansk · Nov 5, 2024

DZero said:
The reason is that x86 is strategic for USA now

Nah. Strategy only applies to Intel fabrication. AMD has x86 even if Intel were to fail.

In any case the article doesn't make it sound like AMD had any interest but just named it as a company that could acquire parts of Intel. AMD still is digesting Xilinx so I doubt they're ready to buy anything big yet.

Thibsie · Nov 5, 2024

Nah, Nvidia is a better choice... XD

DZero · Nov 5, 2024

Thibsie said:
Nah, Nvidia is a better choice... XD

Imagine if being nVIDIA finally gets x86 licence due government pressure...

Thibsie · Nov 5, 2024

DZero said:
Imagine if being nVIDIA finally gets x86 licence due government pressure...

Yeah, but infected by Intel they might fail 😂

Seriously, AMD has not much interest in this IMO but if the choice is between Nvidia and AMD, it's better be AMD : Nvidia is already at a monopoly-like situation with GPU, imagine with Intel teams and x86 license. Nope.

Thibsie · Nov 5, 2024

Marvell is too small IMO and QC has no interest in x86. Mmmm. Just let's IFS make its life independent and wish Intel good luck. I wouldn't do much more but maybe I'm missing something...

MangoX · Nov 5, 2024

How about IFS gets merged with GF and Intel design team gets merged with AMD? Then Radeon gets to absorb the ARC team as well for what it's worth. After that, segment the skus as such: Skymont for laptop/desktop, X3D for premium gaming, Zen for DC. Could that work?

Thibsie · Nov 5, 2024

Nah, design teams and SKUs wouldn't be kept as is, coming from Intel. No way.

gdansk · Nov 5, 2024

MangoX said:
How about IFS gets merged with GF and Intel design team gets merged with AMD? Then Radeon gets to absorb the ARC team as well for what it's worth. After that, segment the skus as such: Skymont for laptop/desktop, X3D for premium gaming, Zen for DC. Could that work?

Global Foundries isn't profitable enough to prop up Intel Foundries yet. But at least Intel Foundries main revenue process (Intel 7, 4, 3, 18A) would not compete with GF process.

AMD merger with Intel would have many overlapping product lines. Such a merger would cause layoffs and many cancelled products.

Thunder 57 · Nov 5, 2024

MangoX said:
How about IFS gets merged with GF and Intel design team gets merged with AMD? Then Radeon gets to absorb the ARC team as well for what it's worth. After that, segment the skus as such: Skymont for laptop/desktop, X3D for premium gaming, Zen for DC. Could that work?

I don't think AMD or Intel would be interested in that. And as consumers, we absolutely don't want any of that.

FlameTail · Nov 5, 2024

Thibsie said:
QC has no interest in x86

Well, we've had multiple reports that Qualcomm is interested in acquiring Intel.

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/qualcomm-approached-intel-about-takeover-recent-days-wsj-reports-2024-09-20/

My industry survey also indicates that Qualcomm is currently in takeover talks with Intel.

Currently, Qualcommâs most critical focus should be on establishing competitiveness in AI chips: 1. On-device AI smartphone chips: Qualcommâ¦

medium.com

Unlike Intel/AMD, Intel/Qualcomm have fewer segments that they overlap in. It seems to me that regulators would look more favourably on such an acquisition.

desrever · Nov 5, 2024

They should push to merge Boeing and Intel so theres no overlap of any segment so nobody has to be laid off.

lucasworais · Nov 5, 2024

Could Microsoft buy Intel? I think it would be much more interesting for them than for AMD

sandorski · Nov 5, 2024

lucasworais said:
Could Microsoft buy Intel? I think it would be much more interesting for them than for AMD

No thanks.

mikegg · Nov 6, 2024

GunsMadeAmericaFree said:
Yeah, I'd rather see AMD swallow ARM or Qualcomm..... but evidently this is what is being pushed now.

AMD has no chance to buy ARM or Qualcomm. Neither company are in distress. ARM arguably has more momentum than AMD.

NTMBK · Nov 6, 2024

Hopefully nobody buys Intel, the last thing the tech industry needs is even more consolidation. I don't want a "too big to fail" Katamari of chip manufacturers.

I hope we just get a clean split of fabs and design, and the two sides can stand on their own two feet and get back to being competitive.

gdansk · Nov 6, 2024

NTMBK said:
the last thing the tech industry needs is even more consolidation

Exactly

But it's a real trip to see people saying AMD is big enough to buy Intel (though I'm not sure that's true). I remember when Intel had a market cap 80x that of AMD and there were rumors Samsung considered buying AMD. Somehow AMD made it through it so I'm optimistic Intel can spin off its fabs without being acquired.

coercitiv · Nov 6, 2024

To me the article in the OP makes zero sense:

The merger would only impact Intel’s chip design business, while its foundry business would remain unscathed.

The foundry is the direct source of financial struggle. The chip design business part, while not healthy, is much easier to keep afloat. For argument's sake, let's assume AMD merges with Intel's chip design division tomorrow. Who's going to keep pumping money into IFS? Let me guess, some genius thought about an SLA of sorts that would force "AMTEL" to use IFS for a decade or so. Great plan, let's drive two chip design companies into the ground.

Tuna-Fish · Nov 6, 2024

coercitiv said:
The foundry is the direct source of financial struggle. The chip design business part, while not healthy, is much easier to keep afloat. For argument's sake, let's assume AMD merges with Intel's chip design division tomorrow. Who's going to keep pumping money into IFS? Let me guess, some genius thought about an SLA of sorts that would force "AMTEL" to use IFS for a decade or so. Great plan, let's drive two chip design companies into the ground.

I would imagine the design side would be outright sold for cash to fund the foundries. The design side is the better business, but the US Government doesn't particularly care about it. The foundries are currently a trash fire, but they are also a strategic asset that needs to be protected.

AMD is kind of a bad buyer in that case, they don't have that much cash.

Ironically, in the outside view NV is the best purchaser. They do want an x86 license, and they have more money than god. But the culture clash would be enormous, JHH would not accept a business unit managed like Intel below him.

Question US Government encouraging AMD to buy Intel

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