Intel vs. Marvell Technology: Which AI Chip Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026? - The Motley Fool

Intel (INTC -5.79%) and Marvell Technology (MRVL -5.56%) both sell chips for data centers, and both companies say demand tied to artificial intelligence (AI) is lifting that business. Beyond that, they have little in common. Intel designs and manufactures processors for PCs and servers, and it is trying to turn its factories into a foundry business that makes chips for other companies. Marvell is a smaller company that outsources manufacturing and sells chips for data center and networking equipment. For anyone investing in AI stocks, the choice comes down to a capital-heavy turnaround or a faster-growing specialist that leans on a short list of customers. The case for IntelIntel designs and manufactures x86 processors for PCs and data centers. It is also trying to expand Intel Foundry into a manufacturer for outside chip designers, though the company's 2025 annual report says nearly all of that business still supports Intel's own products. In August 2025, the U. S. government agreed to invest $8.9 billion in Intel common stock, funded by CHIPS Act grants that had been awarded but not yet paid and by its Secure Enclave program award. In the fiscal year ended Dec.