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On April 28, FPT announced a strategic partnership with Intel, a global leader in semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI), to apply AI to develop comprehensive solutions that optimize factory operations. Before this partnership, Intel had been undergoing a robust revival fueled by AI, with its stock price quadrupling within a year of CEO Lip-Bu Tan taking office. The company's market capitalization hit a new high, exceeding $400 billion, surpassing the peak reached during the early 2000s dot-com bubble. At a recent investor meeting, Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan said demand for CPUs is exploding in data centers. Earlier this month, Intel expanded its AI CPU collaboration with Alphabet. He also secured commitments and major deals with the US government, SoftBank, and Nvidia, providing the resources needed for Intel to manufacture and to bolster investor confidence. Moreover, Intel's manufacturing division recently landed a contract from Tesla, with Tesla becoming the largest first customer for the new 14A generation chip process for the Terafab project — an advanced AI chip facility serving robots and data centers in Austin, Texas. After years of losing ground in AI due to mismanagement, the once-dominant U.S. chip maker is rising again. The opportunity has emerged as demand for advanced central processing units grows. In the first quarter, revenue from the data center and AI segment reached $5.1 billion, surpassing expectations. Meanwhile, FPT — Intel's partner in Vietnam — has struggled with AI. Concerns that AI coding models could affect outsourcing demand have prompted foreign investors to sell FPT shares. Vietnam's leading digital technology stock is currently treading near two-year lows, with a market capitalization around 125 trillion VND, outside the top 10 on the exchange. Notably, more than a year ago, FPT was the most valuable private conglomerate on the stock market. In discussions at the 2026 annual general meeting, FPT Chairman Truong Gia Binh expressed understanding for investors frustrated by the stock's decline, noting that FPT is "reviving" and that within five to ten years it could be a leading core technology player on the global stage. As part of its AI-First development strategy for 2026-2028, the group aims to own the AI value chain, from AI Factory infrastructure to disseminating AI education to 20 million users and training 10,000 semiconductor professionals by 2030.
Premium gym chains are entering a “golden era” that is ending or already in decline, as rising operating costs collide with shifting consumer preferences toward more flexible, community-based ways to exercise. Long-term memberships are shrinking, margins are pressured by higher rents and facility expenses, and competition from smaller, more personalized…
