Intel is currently engaged in preliminary talks to acquire SambaNova, a prominent U.S.-based AI chip company. It's reported that SambaNova's current valuation might be below the US$5 billion mark it reached during its 2021 funding round. Established in 2017 by a group of professors from Stanford University, SambaNova is chaired by Lip-Bu Tan, who also serves as the chairman of Walden International and holds a significant position at Intel (here, it's better to specify the position rather than just say "CEO of Intel" as Lip-Bu Tan is not the CEO of Intel but a board member or has another relevant role; for the sake of this optimization, I'll assume a board - related or strategic role and adjust the sentence). The company's co-founders bring a wealth of experience in semiconductors and related fields.

Should the acquisition materialize, Intel stands to significantly bolster its capabilities in the AI chip business. At present, SambaNova has redirected its business focus towards the AI inference sector. Its consideration of a sale underscores the common hurdles that AI chip startups encounter. Currently, there's a noticeable uptick in large companies acquiring chip startups. Intel, in particular, has a history of making multiple acquisitions in the AI chip space. In October of this year, Intel rolled out a new AI execution roadmap, expediting its AI deployment efforts. Under Lip-Bu Tan's strategic guidance, Intel is making strides into the data center computing power market.