Palantir Co-founder on US Intel Stake: ‘Very Weird
The US government is providing Intel with $9 billion, sourced from the US CHIPS and Science Act and the Secure Enclave program, both designed to boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing. What makes this notably notable is that the government is taking an equity stake in Intel, a highly unusual move outside of national emergencies like the 2008 financial crisis.
critics have labeled this “cronyism” and “wierd” due to the lack of a clear public benefit beyond the company itself. However, National Economic council director Kevin Hassett suggested this could set a new precedent for government investments, likening it to a sovereign wealth fund and indicating more such transactions might occur in various industries. The central debate revolves around whether these investments truly serve a broader public or national security interest, or if they represent undue favoritism.