Welcome to the Tech meme right home for Monday, February 17th, 2025. I'm Brian McCullough today. The Vultures are circling Intel, if that's not too aggressive in analogy.

Open AI's board officially rejects Elon's bid. Zell is quietly the biggest player in P-to-P payments.

Everybody wants to go after robotics. That's the next big

thing. And why over a thousand tech unicorns aren't in trouble. Here's what you miss today in the world

of tech. Here's something we've not spoken about in a while. Intel, wither Intel, literally.

Sources this weekend were saying TSM is considering taking a controlling stake and

fully running Intel's U.S. factories after a Trump administration request to do so,

quoting Bloomberg. The arrangement may involve having major American chip designers take equity stakes,

according to the person, along with support from the U.S. government.

That means the venture wouldn't solely be owned by a foreign company.

TSM is the go-to chipmaker for Apple, Nvidia, and other companies developing semiconductors

that power AI algorithms.

Still, the possible partnership

could run into political hurdles, not unlike those that have hamstrung a proposed acquisition

of United States Steel by Japanese maker Nippon Steel Corp. A White House official said that the

president is unlikely to support a foreign entity operating Intel's factories."

Meanwhile, the journal's sources say Broadcom has informally explored a bid for Intel's

chip design and marketing unit, but only if it could secure a partner for Intel's foundry business.

Quote, nothing has been submitted to Intel.

The people cautioned and Broadcom could decide not to seek a deal.

Separately, TSM has studied controlling some or all of Intel's chip plants,

potentially as part of an investor consortium or other structure,

...