New York, Feb 10, 2026, 07:46 EST — Premarket
- Intel shares down 0.7% ahead of the open, after closing at $50.61
- Rakuten Mobile and Intel broaden work on AI-native virtualized radio access networks
- U.S. retail sales data due later Tuesday, with inflation figures later this week
Intel shares edged lower in premarket trading on Tuesday, easing 0.7% to $50.24, after Rakuten Mobile said it expanded a partnership with the chipmaker to push artificial intelligence deeper into mobile network infrastructure. 1
The tie-up matters because telecom operators are under pressure to cut power use and automate day-to-day network tasks, while still adding capacity as data traffic climbs. That makes “AI inside the network” more than a slogan — it is increasingly a cost and performance lever.
For Intel, the announcement lands as investors debate where the next leg of AI spending shows up, and how much of it will translate into measurable returns. U.S. stock futures were muted ahead of a run of data releases and earnings, with markets also watching for any renewed wobble in AI-linked shares. 2
Rakuten Mobile said the expanded work will target “AI-native” capabilities in the radio access network, or RAN — the part of a mobile system that connects phones to the wider network — building on earlier virtualized RAN deployments using Intel’s Xeon processors. Rakuten co-CEO and CTO Sharad Sriwastawa called it an effort to “pioneer truly AI-native RAN architectures,” while Intel Data Center chief Kevork Kechichian said AI is “transforming how networks are built and operated.” 3
Virtualized RAN, often shortened to vRAN, shifts radio processing from purpose-built boxes into software running on standard servers. The pitch is flexibility: operators can update features faster, mix vendors more easily, and scale capacity without swapping out as much hardware.
Intel’s data center business is central to that bet. The company last month warned it was struggling to meet demand for some server chips used in AI data centers and forecast quarterly sales and profit below Wall Street estimates, a reminder that supply and execution still set the tone for the stock. 4
Still, telecom is not the same as hyperscale. Operators buy in cycles, and large deployments hinge on field tests, reliability targets and tight latency — the split-second delays that can break a real-time connection if they grow too large.
The other risk is timing. AI features in the RAN may improve efficiency, but carriers could choose to move slowly if budgets tighten or if early gains look incremental rather than dramatic. That would push out chip orders that investors might be tempted to pencil in.
Traders will get their first macro catalyst before the opening bell: the U.S. Census Bureau’s retail sales release scheduled for Tuesday morning. 5
Rates-sensitive tech stocks, including chipmakers, also face an inflation test later this week with the U.S. consumer price index for January due on Feb. 13 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. 6
