Intel stock (INTC) soars 9% on NVIDIA partnership, new AI chip launch

Intel rose intensely on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, closing nearly 9% higher, as investors cheered a strategic partnership with NVIDIA and the unveiling of a new generation of AI-focused chips.

The stock reached a new 52-week high of $44.04.

The surge was driven by a multiple-pronged wave of positive news. Most significantly, Intel announced a major partnership with NVIDIA to integrate its x86 central processing units (CPUs) with NVIDIA’s industry-leading graphics processing units (GPUs) for artificial intelligence server systems.

With this significant partnership, Intel has captured a larger share of the booming AI data centre market.

At the same time, at the CES technology conference in Las Vegas, Intel launched its “Panther Lake” processors, the first chips built on its next-generation 18A manufacturing process.

The chip is branded as the Intel Core Ultra Series 3; it is designed to power the next wave of “AI PCs,” with over 200 laptop designs expected to hit the market starting January 27.

Wall Street analysts weighed in, with Melius Research upgrading Intel to “Buy,” citing confidence in new CEO Lip-Bu Tan and potential for Intel’s contract chip-making business.

The rally indicates growing investor belief in Intel’s long-awaited manufacturing and product turnaround after years of technical delays and lost market share.