Intel shares at 6 months highs, driven by AI 📈

US semiconductor giant Intel (INTC.US) has indicated that its first semiconductor for the data center industry focused on energy efficiency, Sierra Forest, will be delivered in the first half of next year. The information came after previously signaled longer delays. In addition, Intel is working on the Intel Developer Cloud, for artificial intelligence (AI). The stock reacted with a nearly 6% rally.

• The AI tool would be available for AI developers to train and launch new machine learning models that require high computing power. According to Intel, AI startups Hugging Face and Stable Diffusion are actually using the company's chips;
• The news could mean that the company's Data Center and AI segment will take the fight to the competition. Investors were relieved because in recent months they had viewed the company as a potential 'marauder' in the AI trend. Intel said its next energy-efficient chip, the Clearwater Forest, will hit the market in 2025;
• Intel's super-efficient fourth-generation Xeon process for data centers, Sapphire Rapids, has encountered delays that have given rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc. time to catch up. However, Intel has conveyed that its schedule is now on track. The company is aiming to deliver a Xeon processor by the end of the year, with an even newer generation of Granite Rapids to be released next year (following the debut of Sierra Forest). 
• Intel still dominates the PC processor and server market where it holds more than 70% market share according to IDC analysts. The company's problem, however, is that its market share is falling. In 2017, it was 90%.

Intel shares (INTC.US) are gaining more than 7%. The price overcame key resistance set by previous price reactions and rose above the SMA200 on the D1 interval. It also formed a bullish triple bottom formation near $25 per share. Source: xStation5