Business Brief (Sept. 19): Nvidia to Take $5 Billion Stake in Intel

Nvidia is set to invest $5 billion to acquire roughly a 4% stake in Intel, marking a significant collaboration between the two tech giants aimed at developing artificial intelligence (AI) data center and consumer chips based on Intel’s x86 architecture. This announcement led to a sharp rise in Intel’s shares, up 22.8%, while Nvidia’s stock increased by 3.49% at the close of U.S. trading, underscoring strong market optimism about the partnership’s future impact on the AI and semiconductor landscape. [para. 2]

Huawei has released its first-ever public AI chip roadmap for the next three years, planning to debut four new Ascend chips—950 PR, 950 DT, 960, and 970—between 2026 and 2028. This roadmap reflects easing production bottlenecks for advanced chips in China and highlights the company’s commitment to meeting growing domestic demand for AI computing power. [para. 4]

Hong Kong authorities have arrested 13 individuals connected to a gold heist involving 65 kilograms of gold valued at HK$59 million ($7.6 million). Police recovered all of the stolen gold and suggested the crime was likely an inside job, happening against the backdrop of elevated global gold prices. [para. 6]

Responding to rumors about China requesting the cessation of Nvidia’s RTX Pro 6000D chip orders, China’s foreign ministry denied any such request and reiterated its opposition to discriminatory practices in trade and technology. [para. 8]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused China and Qatar of leveraging AI to orchestrate an “information siege” against Israel via social media. China’s embassy in Israel dismissed the accusations as groundless and criticized them as damaging to bilateral relations, urging Israel to halt military operations in Gaza and seek a lasting ceasefire. [para. 10]

China’s central bank is supervising 18 commercial banks to offer loans aimed at helping local state-owned enterprises and other entities clear historical debts, with the debt resolution plan scheduled for completion by June 30, 2027. [para. 12]

Microsoft has announced plans to construct the world’s most powerful AI data center in Wisconsin, featuring hundreds of thousands of Nvidia’s GB200 chips and delivering performance tenfold greater than today’s fastest supercomputer, as shared by CEO Satya Nadella. [para. 14]

Elon Musk refuted claims circulated on social media that U.S. agri-business PharmAGRI was in talks to order 10,000 Tesla Optimus robots. [para. 16]

Huawei will host a launch event, “Ride the Wind,” in Paris on September 19 to showcase new products like the WATCH GT 6 smart wearable. [para. 18]

August fiscal data show a 2% year-on-year growth in fiscal revenue for China, with tax revenue growth turning positive in 2024 for the first time. The Ministry of Science and Technology is advancing the use of humanoid robots, and a draft for a national standard on driver assistance—including penalties for taking hands off the steering wheel—has been released. Shanghai announced a reward of up to 2 million yuan for first-time unicorn companies, and orders for the C919 jetliner have surpassed 1,000. Researchers have developed new brain-computer interface electrodes. [para. 21][para. 23][para. 25][para. 27][para. 29][para. 31]

On the corporate front, Baidu’s stock has surged over 40% since September, following major AI chip orders. Chinese travel firm Trip.com is expanding in South Korea, projecting 15.3 million inbound tourists in 2025. Other updates include Hong Kong and UAE signing cooperation agreements, and DeepSeek warning against unauthorized uses of its brand. [para. 33][para. 35][para. 37][para. 41]

Internationally, China’s commerce ministry has reaffirmed its stance on TikTok, stressing no compromise on core principles, corporate interests, or fairness. China has proposed forming an international anti-fraud alliance, while the U.S. has urged allies to tax China and India over Russian oil imports—a request Japan says is difficult to meet. [para. 43][para. 45][para. 47]