Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

For much of the generative AI boom, GPUs have dominated discussions around AI infrastructure as companies raced to build large language models, with Nvidia Corp. emerging as the biggest beneficiary, while CPUs took a back seat.

On Thursday, Intel Corp.’s leadership argued that the next phase of AI could look different.

Speaking on the company’s earnings call, CFO David Zinsner said Intel now sees CPU and GPU deployments nearing parity on a unit basis. “The ratio of CPU to GPU — we now believe we’re almost in parity at this point,” Zinsner said. “And could eventually even skew more to CPUs on a unit basis.”

His comments reflect Intel’s view that AI workloads are shifting beyond model training. While training large language models requires the massive parallel processing capabilities of GPUs, running those models in production—known as inference—relies on a broader mix of computing resources, including CPUs.

Don’t Miss:

CEO Backs CPU Argument

CEO Lip-Bu Tan echoed that argument.

“As AI expands from training to inference and increasingly to agentic and multi-agent systems, general purpose server CPU density continues to increase,” he said. “Our core server CPU franchise is growing faster than ever.”

Trending: Avoid the #1 Investing Mistake: How Your ‘Safe’ Holdings Could Be Costing You Big Time

The Reasoning Behind CPUs Outpacing GPUs

Intel pointed to several metrics supporting its outlook. The company reported $6.3 billion in second-quarter data center AI revenue, up 59% year over year. It also said server growth was the strongest in its history, with Xeon 6 among its fastest-ramping product launches and demand continuing to exceed supply.

During the call, an analyst referenced an industry projection estimating the CPU total addressable market could reach $220 billion by 2030. While Zinsner did not comment on the specific figure, he did not challenge the broader discussion around growing CPU demand.

Intel’s comments do not suggest GPUs are becoming less important. Demand for GPU-powered AI training remains strong, particularly as companies continue building larger and more capable models. Instead, Intel is making the case that as AI applications move into deployment at scale, CPUs could account for a larger share of the infrastructure supporting those workloads.

Story Continues

See Also: Skip the Regrets: The Essential Retirement Tips Experts Wish Everyone Knew Earlier.

Intel Q2 Earnings

Intel reported second-quarter revenue of $16.13 billion, surpassing analysts’ estimate of $14.42 billion. Adjusted earnings were $0.42 per share, beating the consensus estimate of $0.21, according to Benzinga Pro.

Intel stock fell 2.33% to close at $100.23 but climbed 4.37% in after-hours trading following the company’s earnings announcement.

Benzinga Edge Rankings show Intel has a Momentum score in the 99th percentile. The stock has a negative short-term price trend but positive medium- and long-term price trends.

Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Read Next: Think you’re saving enough for your kids? You might be dangerously off — see why

Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market

Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That’s why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn’t tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.

Arrived

Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.

Realberry

Institutional-quality real estate has traditionally been difficult for individual investors to access. Realberry gives accredited investors direct access to private real estate opportunities backed by a team with 35 years of experience, $3.4 billion in assets under management, and $481 million in cumulative distributions paid to investors as of Q4 2025, according to the company. With a portfolio spanning 13 million square feet across seven U.S. states, Realberry focuses on acquiring, developing, and managing real estate with an emphasis on long-term value creation while its principals often invest alongside clients to help align interests.

FarmTogether

Farmland has historically held its value through market volatility and delivered returns uncorrelated to stocks and bonds. For accredited investors, FarmTogether offers direct access to high-quality U.S. farmland starting at $15,000 — fully managed, with no landlord headaches.

Immersed

Immersed is building technology for the future of work through spatial computing. Known for its AR/VR productivity platform that enables users to work across multiple virtual screens, the company has grown to more than 1.5 million users worldwide. Immersed is also developing Visor, a lightweight headset designed specifically for professional productivity, positioning the company at the intersection of remote work, extended reality (XR), and next-generation computing.

Fundrise

Private real estate and private credit can add income and stability to a stock-heavy portfolio. Fundrise offers access to diversified private real estate and credit strategies through an easy-to-use platform, with professionally managed portfolios designed to generate passive income and long-term growth.

Mode Mobile

Mode Mobile is changing the way people interact with their phones by letting users earn money from the same apps and activities they already use every day. Instead of platforms keeping all the advertising revenue, Mode Mobile shares a portion back with users who engage with content, play games, and scroll on their devices. Named one of Deloitte’s fastest-growing software companies in North America, the company has built a large beta user base and is scaling a model that turns everyday smartphone usage into a potential income stream. 

EquityMultiple 

For accredited investors looking beyond stocks and bonds, EquityMultiple provides access to vetted commercial real estate deals starting at $5,000, with only ~5% of opportunities passing their due diligence process.

© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.