Intel has raised $20bn in its first share sale since 1971, as the chipmaker moves to fund a major expansion into artificial intelligence manufacturing. Proceeds will fund Intel’s capital expenditure programme, which the company recently raised to $20bn for 2026, driven by surging demand for central processing units as AI agents proliferate. Since establishing a presence in Ireland in the late 1980s, Intel has invested more than €30bn into its operations here. The share sale is part of a run of large equity raises linked to AI spending. Alphabet is raising up to $85bn across several instruments, while Oracle has a $20bn at-the-market sale underway.