Intel has just unveiled its financial report for the fourth quarter of 2025. Owing to a soaring demand for artificial intelligence (AI) chips that outstrips its supply capabilities, the company's stock price took an immediate nosedive, plummeting by over 13% right after the financial report's release. This sharp decline led to a substantial contraction in its market value.

Intel's CEO, Chen Liwu, openly acknowledged that while the yield of the 18A process is showing signs of improvement, it still lags behind industry-leading standards. Moreover, the buffer inventory has been completely exhausted, and the company now finds itself in a "make-to-order" mode. This situation has severely crippled its supply capabilities. To tackle these challenges, the company has outlined plans to expedite yield optimization and ramp up capital expenditures in 2026, aiming to drive significant capacity enhancements.