Shares of Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) shot up 21.5% in May, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Investors are clamoring for any stock associated with computer chip manufacturing used for the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution
Once considered a loser because of AI, Intel’s manufacturing expertise is increasingly in demand, leading investors to flip the momentum in the opposite direction. Intel stock is up 452% in the last twelve months as of this writing on June 3rd, 2026. Here’s why the stock was rising in May, and whether now is the best time to get in on the party.
Massive semiconductor momentum Semiconductors and computer chips are vital for AI, but their use cases have evolved in recent years. In the early days, training AI software required using what are called graphical processing units (GPUs), which is what led Nvidia to become the largest company by market cap in the world. Now that processing needs are shifting to consumers and enterprises using AI software, there is greater demand for traditional central processing units (CPUs), both on devices and in the cloud.