New York, Feb 12, 2026, 10:41 (EST) — Regular session
Intel (INTC.O) shares dropped 0.9% to $47.87 Thursday morning, lagging behind a wider rally in chip stocks. The dip comes as the company’s telecom-focused AI efforts grabbed new attention this week. So far, the stock has fluctuated between $47.44 and $48.95 during the session.
Intel faces a straightforward challenge: can it convert network-and-edge messaging into actual sales, not just flashy demos? Investors have been quick to sell off on upticks in the sector, signaling they need clearer evidence of real progress.
This is crucial as telecom operators push to boost capacity while slashing power consumption and operating expenses, relying more heavily on software to achieve those goals. If Intel’s chips continue to serve as the go-to “general purpose” processors in this transition, it opens up a new avenue for the company beyond its traditional PC market.
Intel plans to use Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to demonstrate AI inference—running trained AI models in real time—within live mobile networks. It will also spotlight its efforts across the radio access network and edge computing. 1
Rakuten Mobile announced Tuesday it’s broadening its strategic partnership with Intel to advance “AI-native” vRAN—virtualized radio access networks that run network functions as software on standard servers. “We are incredibly excited to expand our collaboration with Intel,” said Rakuten Mobile co-CEO and CTO Sharad Sriwastawa. Intel’s data center head Kevork Kechichian added, “AI is transforming how networks are built and operated.” 2
The broader sector showed strength. Nvidia climbed around 1%, Taiwan Semiconductor nudged up close to 1%, and AMD ticked higher. The VanEck Semiconductor ETF gained about 0.6%.
Intel sees the telecom sector as a battleground for positioning. If operators continue to purchase standard CPU servers for network tasks and add AI workloads on top, Intel’s Xeon lineup gains a stronger narrative in a market that usually favors custom hardware.
vRAN often takes time to gain traction. Trials and “validation” processes can drag on for quarters, and operators might hold back on spending if traffic growth or budgets don’t match expectations.
The downside is clear: partnerships and trade-show demos don’t guarantee significant revenue. Meanwhile, competitors continue to push on pricing and performance in both data centers and the edge. If carriers start cutting capital spending once more, Intel’s stock would probably react fast.
Traders are now focused on Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, happening March 2–5, looking for any solid customer wins or deployment plans linked to Intel’s network and edge strategy. 3
