New York, Feb 25, 2026, 06:27 ET — Premarket
- Intel shares jumped about 6% on Tuesday on news tied to an AI inference partnership with startup SambaNova.
- SambaNova said it raised $350 million and flagged SoftBank as the first SN50 chip customer in Japan.
- Traders are watching Nvidia earnings after Wednesday’s close and Intel’s March 4 investor-conference appearance.
Intel (INTC) shares jumped about 6% on Tuesday after AI chip startup SambaNova Systems unveiled plans for a multi-year collaboration with the U.S. chipmaker. The stock was last down about 0.2% in late after-hours trading after closing at $46.12. (MarketWatch)
The move matters because Wall Street has been sharpening its focus on “inference” — the work of running trained AI models inside data centers and apps — not just training them. Inference hardware is where many companies are now trying to cut power use and cost per query, a scramble that has pulled in both startups and incumbents.
Chip stocks also face a fresh sentiment test later on Wednesday when Nvidia reports results after markets close, a checkpoint for expectations around Big Tech’s AI spending. U.S. stock index futures were slightly higher early Wednesday after a volatile stretch for equities in February. (Reuters)
SambaNova said it raised $350 million in a round led by Vista Equity Partners and Cambium Capital, with Intel’s investment arm Intel Capital also participating. SoftBank Corp will be the first customer to deploy SambaNova’s new SN50 chip in its AI data centers in Japan, the company said, and the partnership is aimed at cost-effective AI inference systems. (Reuters)
Intel has been trying to expand its footprint in data-center AI, a market where Nvidia’s accelerators set the pace and the software ecosystem is a moat. Deals that promise “GPU alternatives” tend to get attention fast, even before anyone sees a purchase order.
On Tuesday, Intel traded between about $43.54 and $46.60 after opening near $44.10, with the rally coming on heavier volume than the prior session. (Investing)
“AI is no longer a contest to build the biggest model,” SambaNova CEO Rodrigo Liang said. Intel’s data-center chief Kevork Kechichian said customers were asking for “more choice” to scale AI, and IDC analyst Peter Rutten said the SN50 chip changes the “tokenomics” — the economics of cost per token — for inference at scale. (SambaNova)
Intel said the collaboration would be built around its Xeon server processors and would sit alongside its own GPU-based data-center offerings as those products come online. The company said the partnership did not alter its broader path to compete in AI. (Newsroom)
But partnerships don’t always turn into material revenue, and inference buyers can be slow to move off established software stacks. If customers stick with Nvidia’s tooling and supply remains tight for alternatives, Tuesday’s pop can fade as quickly as it arrived.
Another uncertainty is timing and disclosure. SambaNova has talked about shipping SN50 later this year, while Intel and the startup have not laid out what the partnership means for near-term shipments or the size of Intel’s investment.
Traders will also be watching the wider chip tape: Nvidia’s earnings after the bell on Feb. 25 can swing the whole group, not just the company reporting. One strong quarter can lift sympathy trades; one cautious forecast can turn the sector into a trapdoor.
Intel said on Monday it would take part in the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference on March 4, with CFO David Zinsner set for a fireside chat. That event is the next dated catalyst for Intel investors once the market digests Nvidia’s results. (Intc)
