Intel announced that its codenamed Clearwater Forest processor for data centers will only be launched in the first half of 2026, nearly two years after the introduction of its Xeon 6-series CPUs and behind schedule. The delay is attributed to difficulties with Clearwater's packaging technology, despite the underlying 18A process node remaining strong.

The delay comes amidst Intel's unveiling of its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2024 and the entire year, revealing massive losses. The company's revenue for 2024 was $53.1 billion, down 2% year-over-year, while its net loss climbed to $18.8 billion. Intel attributed the losses to major investments in new fabs and production capacity in the U.S.

Intel's financial struggles have raised concerns about its ability to compete in the data center market and its efforts to regain market share. The delay of Clearwater Forest and the cancellation of Falcon Shores AI GPUs are seen as setbacks for the company's competitive posture in the exploding AI market.