Being so fast(at such a complex node), it makes me wonder: was moore's law, i.e. a doubling every 18 months just an anti-competitive collaboration among the industry to slow down ? could they have improved the technology much faster ?
This is a cost of capitalism but it comes with the benefits of a self-sustaining system and more predictable futures. If politicians were funding processors, you'd bet they wouldn't want to spend the resources to double processor parameters every 18 months.
Heck, I probably won't think to tax games to fund chip foundries.
If AMD had tech that Intel didn't, they'd use it.
Intel did everything it could to avoid keeping AMD in the game, including paying Dell off to not use AMD chips.
I don't recall ever hearing about Intel investing in AMD, maybe you're thinking of the $1.25 billion settlement Intel had to pay AMD for various lawsuits Intel was in danger of losing and potentially having to pay triple damages.