The useful question is what changes for users, developers or buyers, and whether the announcement stays industry context or becomes something people can actually use.

Intel’s Rio Rancho, New Mexico site has transitioned from 6-inch wafer manufacturing in the 1980s to leading U.S. advanced packaging today, employing 2,700 workers and 500 suppliers. The facility now scales packages to 8x the industry standard, with plans to exceed 12x by 2028, enabling multi-chip systems that function as a single unit. Katie Prouty, manager of Fab 9, highlights the site’s evolution and its role in meeting AI workload demands through advanced packaging technologies.

Intel Foundry’s Foveros advanced packaging process connects specialized chiplets into a high-performance system using a silicon interposer, likened to a pizza crust. The process begins with a chip attach tool that bonds chiplets to the interposer, followed by baking, epoxy filling, and precision dicing. This method allows diverse chips to operate as one unit, improving speed and efficiency while reducing power consumption in devices like laptops and edge computing systems.

EMIB (Embedded Multi-Die Interconnect Bridge) technology links specialized chips on a package using tiny silicon bridges, enabling AI workloads with improved efficiency and lower costs. Unlike competitors using expensive interposers, Intel embeds bridges only where needed, creating a cost-effective ‘silicon mosaic’ of chiplets. The 2026 introduction of EMIB-T adds power delivery channels directly to chips, enhancing power efficiency and signal routing for high-bandwidth memory technologies.

Intel Foundry’s advanced packaging flexibility allows mixing chiplets from different sources on large substrates, enabling the construction of AI engines for data centers. A collaboration with Lens Technology combines Intel’s packaging expertise with precision glass processing to enhance AI and datacenter performance. The investment is expected to create high-tech jobs and expand manufacturing capacity in Ireland, supporting domestic leadership in high-volume production.