New York, Feb 12, 2026, 10:41 (EST) — Regular session
Intel (INTC.O) shares slipped 0.9% to $47.87 in morning trade on Thursday, underperforming a broader lift in chip stocks after the company’s telecom-focused AI push drew fresh attention this week. The stock has traded between $47.44 and $48.95 so far in the session.
The near-term test for Intel is simple: can it turn network-and-edge messaging into orders, not just demos. Investors have been quick to fade rallies in the name on days when the sector is higher, a sign the market still wants clearer proof of traction.
That matters now because telecom operators are trying to add capacity while cutting power use and operating costs, and they’re leaning harder on software to do it. If Intel’s chips remain the default “general purpose” engines inside that shift, it gives the company another lane beyond PCs.
Intel said it will use Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to showcase AI inference — running trained AI models in real time — inside live mobile networks, and to highlight work across the radio access network and edge computing. (Newsroom)
Rakuten Mobile said on Tuesday it was expanding a strategic collaboration with Intel to push “AI-native” vRAN, or virtualized radio access networks that run network functions as software on standard servers. “We are incredibly excited to expand our collaboration with Intel,” Rakuten Mobile co-CEO and CTO Sharad Sriwastawa said, while Intel data center chief Kevork Kechichian said, “AI is transforming how networks are built and operated.” (Rakuten)
The broader group was firmer. Nvidia rose about 1%, Taiwan Semiconductor gained nearly 1% and AMD was slightly higher, while the VanEck Semiconductor ETF added roughly 0.6%.
For Intel, the telecom angle is also a positioning fight. If operators keep buying standard CPU servers for network workloads — and then layer AI workloads on top — Intel’s Xeon franchise has a clearer story in a market that often prefers custom gear.
vRAN can be a slow burn, though. Trials and “validation” work can stretch for quarters, and operators can pause spending when traffic growth or budgets don’t line up.
But the downside case is straightforward: partnerships and trade-show demos do not automatically translate into meaningful revenue, while rivals keep pressure on pricing and performance in the data center and edge. Any sign that carriers are tightening capital spending again would likely show up quickly in Intel’s stock.
What traders are watching next is Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, scheduled for March 2–5, for any concrete customer wins or deployment timelines tied to Intel’s network-and-edge pitch. (Mwcbarcelona)
