Key Highlights

● AMD shares traded near $615.32 on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, after finishing Monday at $607.87.

● By agreeing to acquire World Labs for $8.2 billion in stock, AMD also lands founder Fei-Fei Li.

● Li will serve as executive vice president and chief scientist, reporting directly to Chief Executive Lisa Su.

● AMD is paying with about 13 million shares, and the deal is expected to close by the end of 2026.

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) did more than buy a startup on Tuesday, September 29, 2026. By agreeing to acquire World Labs for $8.2 billion in stock, the chipmaker also landed its founder, Fei-Fei Li, as its new executive vice president and chief scientist. The stock traded near $615.32 on the day, after finishing Monday at $607.87.

The New Role

Li will report directly to Chief Executive Lisa Su. She said joining AMD gives her team the resources and engineering depth to accelerate its research. A chief scientist sets the long-term research direction for a technology company, and bringing in Li's team signals that AMD wants a deeper understanding of how AI models are built, not just the chips that run them.

What the Role Means for AMD

Su made the link explicit, saying building the compute platforms for the next generation of AI requires a deep understanding of how models are evolving. Having model researchers inside the company can help it design hardware and software that anticipate where AI workloads are heading.

Deal Terms

AMD is paying with about 13 million of its own shares, which means only modest dilution for existing shareholders. The deal is expected to close by the end of 2026. Using stock rather than cash preserves AMD's balance sheet while giving World Labs' investors a stake in the combined company's future.

A Chip-Led Session

AMD's gain came on a good day for semiconductors. Chip stocks rebounded, with Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) surging and Arm Holdings (NASDAQ:ARM) jumping. The Nasdaq-100 edged higher to 30,339.33 on the chip rally, even as the S&P 500 slipped 12.85 points to 7,670.84 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 131.59 points to 51,349.92. The Nasdaq Composite ended nearly flat at 26,797.54.

An AI Backdrop Mixing Optimism and Caution

AI sentiment was buoyed by a leaked Anthropic IPO prospectus, as reported, showing 12-fold revenue growth in 2025, and by Nvidia's $150 billion buyback announced on Monday. Rising Treasury yields remained a headwind, and consumer confidence fell to 81.9, a 12-year low.