Intel and Qualcomm in Early Talks to Acquire AI Chip Startup Tenstorrent

Intel and Qualcomm are reportedly in early acquisition talks with AI chip startup Tenstorrent. The discussions are preliminary, and Tenstorrent has declined to comment. It remains unclear whether the talks involve a full acquisition or a minority stake investment.

Tenstorrent designs RISC-V AI accelerators

Tenstorrent designs RISC-V based AI accelerators featuring the Ascalon CPU core and Tensix AI core. The company's valuation reached $3.2 billion in a November 2025 funding round led by Fidelity. Tenstorrent holds about $150 million in customer contracts, including deals with Samsung and Hyundai.

CEO Jim Keller previously led chip design teams for Apple's A-series processors, Tesla's autonomous driving chip, AMD's Zen architecture, and Intel's CPU division. His track record may be a factor in the reported acquisition interest from Intel and Qualcomm.

Neither Intel nor Qualcomm have confirmed the acquisition talks. Tenstorrent has not commented on the reports. The outcome of the discussions remains uncertain.