In 2023, Intel regained its position as the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturer, marking a significant turnaround from its 2021 loss to Samsung. However, despite this achievement, Intel experienced a decline in sales, plummeting by 16.7% to USD48.7 billion (~RM229 billion).
In contrast, Samsung faced a more substantial setback, with a 37.5% decrease to USD39.9 billion (~RM188 billion).
The dip in revenue for both companies was primarily attributed to diminished demand for DRAM and NAND, crucial segments for Samsung but not as pivotal for Intel, according to Gartner, an American technological research and consulting firm.
The broader semiconductor sector contracted by only 3%, mainly driven by an increasing demand for hardware in AI applications.
Qualcomm maintained its third-place position with a turnover of USD29 billion (~RM136 billion), while Broadcom ascended to the fourth spot, registering a growth of 7.2% to reach USD25.6 billion (~RM120 billion).
Nvidia outpaced AMD with a significant 56.4% growth, achieving USD22.3 billion (~RM105 billion) in sales compared to AMD’s USD23.9 billion (~RM112 billion).
During an interview with CNBC, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger discussed the semiconductor market and confirmed that a factory near Magdeburg is poised to produce the world’s most advanced chips upon commencement of production.
The EUR30 billion (~RM154 billion) facility, expected to employ approximately 3,000 people, will leverage the Intel 15A process, featuring a structure width of 1.5 nm. Gelsinger assured that a more comprehensive roadmap of the company’s production plans, including details on 14A, 15A, or 16A, will be officially disclosed at the end of February.
Regardless of the specific process, Gelsinger affirmed that some of the world’s most advanced chips will indeed be manufactured in Europe, encompassing Intel SoCs and chips from third-party suppliers at the Magdeburg facility.
