Intel has begun mass production of the world’s most advanced computer chips at its new Fab 52 facility in Arizona, a major milestone in the US company’s push to reclaim global semiconductor leadership.

The new ‘Panther Lake’ processors, built using Intel’s 18A (1.8-nanometre) technology, will power next-generation AI laptops, robotics systems and industrial devices.

Shipments are set to begin in late 2025, with consumer products expected to hit the market early next year.

The 18A process represents Intel’s biggest leap forward in over a decade.

It uses the PowerVia backside power delivery system and RibbonFET transistor design to boost efficiency and performance.

The Panther Lake architecture combines CPU, GPU and connectivity “tiles”, some made in partnership with TSMC, into a single, modular chip platform optimised for AI workloads.

Intel also unveiled details of its upcoming Clearwater Forest server processors, built on the same 18A node. Due in 2026, the Xeon 6+ lineup promises dramatic performance-per-watt gains for data centres, with Intel claiming up to 70% reductions in floor space requirements.

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan (pictured) said the launch is “an exciting new era for computing,” adding that Fab 52’s ramp-up “cements America’s role in advanced chip manufacturing.”

The company has operated in Arizona since 1979 and has invested more than US$100 billion (A$150 billion) in expanding its US manufacturing footprint.

The move comes as the US government, now a 10% stakeholder in Intel, pours billions into rebuilding domestic chipmaking.

Intel has also secured backing from Nvidia and SoftBank, while competitors TSMC and Samsung are racing to bring their own 2-nm technologies online.