Intel Pumps $1.86B into Hillsboro Campus, Eyes 2,500 Jobs in Oregon Tech Surge

Hillsboro, Ore. — Intel Corp. secured $1.86 billion in direct funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce's CHIPS Program Office to modernize its sprawling Ronler Acres campus in Hillsboro, bolstering leading-edge semiconductor research and development. The investment targets expansion of Intel's 18A process node and future generations, equipping the site with the world's first commercial High-NA EUV lithography tools — one of only three global locations for such cutting-edge process technology. This infusion is part of Intel's broader $90 billion U.S. capital expenditure through the decade, underpinning a robust domestic supply chain.

The Hillsboro upgrades are projected to create 500 manufacturing jobs and 2,000 construction positions, excluding broader Intel initiatives, and come alongside $65 million in CHIPS workforce funding. Intel, Oregon's top private employer with roughly 18,000 workers across its Washington County facilities including the D1X fab and Aloha site, recently renewed permits with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for operations. The expansion arrives as Hillsboro — long dubbed the 'Silicon Forest' — navigates a tech boom fueled by AI demand and federal incentives.

Adding momentum, Nvidia announced a $5 billion investment in Intel last September, forging a rare alliance between the AI leader and Intel to co-develop custom chips for data centers and PCs. Intel will fabricate specialized silicon for Nvidia's AI platforms using its Oregon-honed expertise, while integrating Nvidia tech into consumer products. This partnership, detailed at a Thursday unveiling, positions Hillsboro's R&D hub at the forefront of next-gen computing, amplifying Oregon's role in the U.S. semiconductor resurgence.