Intel's investment in AI chip startup SambaNova receives U.S. antitrust clearance

U.S. antitrust authorities completed their review of Intel's investment in SambaNova, an AI chip startup chaired by Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan. Intel invested $35 million in SambaNova in February 2026, increasing its stake from 6.8% to 8.2%, with plans for an additional $15 million investment. The antitrust clearance removes a regulatory overhang from Intel's AI chip strategy, which seeks to diversify beyond its traditional x86 product line into AI accelerators and data center GPUs. The deal's structure — with Intel's CEO chairing the board of a company it holds a minority stake in — drew scrutiny, but regulators ultimately allowed it to proceed. The clearance signals how U.S. antitrust enforcers are approaching deals in the strategically important AI semiconductor sector during a period of intense competition with domestic rivals AMD and Nvidia.