Intel's Trusted Supply Chain, OpenAI & Oracle’s Texas AI Superhub, and Mixed Tech Job Market

Welcome to NR Insider, your weekly digest on all things Tech, Hardware, and AI. Follow along to dive into the latest developments and most important topics in the world of technology. We have gathered all the highlights from cutting-edge hardware and groundbreaking AI advancements to major industry news. As we start Week 11 in Tech, let’s recap some major tech news you may have missed during Week 10.

Intel’s Assured Supply Chain: Verified & Trusted

Intel is rolling out the Assured Supply Chain program, a new initiative designed to give customers a clear, traceable record of a chip’s journey from fabrication to final assembly. Announced Wednesday, the program digitally tracks each step in Intel’s production and distribution process, providing verification of manufacturing sites across the U.S., Ireland, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Tailored for government and enterprise clients prioritizing security and transparency, the first chips under this program - Ultra Series 2, known as Arrow Lake - will debut in late 2025. A digital verification tool will list key details, including CPU origin and manufacturing flow, even incorporating chips fabricated by Taiwan’s TSMC. Unlike Intel’s previous Transparent Supply Chain initiative, which provides a snapshot of a chip’s origin at the time of manufacturing, the Assured Supply Chain program establishes a predetermined pathway, ensuring consistency and compliance throughout the process. As Intel shifts to a manufacturing-first model and welcomes third-party customers, this initiative could serve as a quality assurance measure, reinforcing trust in its fabrication capabilities.

OpenAI and Oracle’s Texas AI Superhub Takes Shape

OpenAI and Oracle are moving full speed ahead with their $100 billion Stargate project, starting with a massive AI data center in Abilene, Texas. This facility will house 64,000 of Nvidia’s state-of-the-art GB200 AI chips by the end of 2026, with the first 16,000 set for deployment this summer. The scale of this initiative underscores the escalating demand for AI computing power, as OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle plan up to ten similar sites to support the next generation of artificial intelligence. Oracle is leading the construction and operation of the Texas facility, which will serve as a key hub for high-performance AI model training and deployment. As competitors like Meta, xAI, and CoreWeave invest billions into expanding their own AI infrastructure, Nvidia’s chips remain the gold standard for powering generative AI. The push doesn’t stop in Texas - OpenAI and SoftBank have already scouted additional locations in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Oregon, and Utah for future expansions. With AI development accelerating at an unprecedented pace, the Stargate project is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of AI computing.

Tech Job Market Sees Mixed Trends and AI Growth

The IT job market showed mixed signals in February, with both job growth and rising unemployment creating a complex hiring landscape. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the tech unemployment rate climbed to 3.3%, marking the second consecutive monthly increase and a sharp rise from December’s 2.0%. Despite this, nearly 490,000 tech job postings emerged, and demand for AI-related skills surged, with listings up 116% from last year. Economic uncertainty, stock market fluctuations, and shifting government policies - including workforce reductions led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) -have contributed to a hiring slowdown. While some sectors like healthcare and finance continue to expand, tech services and manufacturing saw declines. The shift toward skills-based hiring remains a key trend, with nearly half of all tech job postings dropping four-year degree requirements. Employers remain cautious, but steady hiring intent and AI-driven upskilling could provide stability in the months ahead.

Up Next - Week 11 in Tech

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