Intel is reportedly preparing a third CPU price increase in May, following hikes in February and March, as demand from AI data centers overwhelms supply. According to Chinese market research firm Minutes Logic Society, Intel plans to raise prices by another few percent across its CPU portfolio, bringing cumulative increases to about 30% higher than 2025 pricing.

This latest hike comes as Intel struggles with CPU shortages, particularly for multi-die processors that require both Intel and TSMC silicon. The company's internal Intel Foundry handles most production, but some chips depend on TSMC's manufacturing. The surge in demand is driven by AI data centers, where the CPU-to-GPU ratio has shifted dramatically from 1:12 to as high as 1:4, creating unprecedented pressure on CPU supply.

With AI infrastructure spending increasingly favoring CPUs alongside GPUs, Intel is leveraging its position to implement pricing adjustments while manufacturing capacity gradually expands. The situation highlights how AI's explosive growth is reshaping the semiconductor market, forcing companies to balance supply constraints with rising demand. Intel's pricing strategy reflects both the scarcity of available processors and the critical role CPUs play in modern AI infrastructure.