Nvidia (NVDA) vs. Intel (INTC) was a significant stock battle in 2025, with Nvidia’s 2024 growth slowing due to Intel and other competitors gaining ground. Entering next year, both stocks will be up slightly in the last 30 days, pending any huge updates this week. However, with a nearly 5x difference between NVDA and the smaller stock INTC, some analysts suggest that the gap may slim further in 2026, as the AI race continues.
Both semiconductor stocks performed well in 2025, although INTC has moved higher YTD than NVDA. Intel appointed a new, ambitious CEO while winning massive investments from the US government, SoftBank (SFTBY), and Nvidia itself. Those developments helped push the stock up 93% for the year, ahead of gains for Nvidia and the entire “Magnificent Seven” stock grouping.
AI Wave to Surge Further in 2026: NVDA and INTC to Both Reap Benefits
Additionally, as the AI race moves into 2026, the industry is set to move into overdrive. Institutional investments and interest in the technology continue to grow, thus the dependence on semiconductors like Nvidia, AMD, and Intel also surges. Hence, these stocks are in pole position to continue rising next year. However, while Intel and other AI-focused tech stocks could gain ground, Nvidia remains the dominant head of market share, which may not change in 2026.
Indeed, next year, Nvidia stock (NASDAQ: NVDA) could gain the most from the Artificial Intelligence boom, as a recent report from MarketsandMarkets reveals that the AI chip sector will explode into a $565 billion market by 2032. The growth will be driven mainly by the need for real-time analytics and advanced AI models, the study read. With Nvidia already the company with AI market dominance, this could mean further gains for NVDA stock, making the gap between it and INTC wider in 2026.
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Furthermore, the sales to China and other countries also open up revenue streams for the company. The company is set to resume exports of its H200 AI chips to China next February, unlocking another crucial market to generate revenue. Nvidia’s stock is currently at the $183 price range, now up a fraction of a percent in the last 30 days. It is well below the $200 level, which could prove a perfect buying opportunity for traders. Optimism in NVDA has been high for five years for both retail and institutional investors, and 2026 doesn’t look any different.