Intel Revamps Leadership with Tech Giants to Boost AI Chip Strategy

In a strategic move to revitalize its engineering prowess and strengthen its artificial intelligence (AI) chip capabilities, Intel has made significant additions to its executive lineup. As part of CEO Linc Chen's revitalization plan, Intel has recruited key figures from tech giants such as Apple and Google to form a formidable team in AI chip development.

Intel announced the appointment of Srinivasan Iyengar, Jean-Didier Allegrucci, and Shailendra Desai on Wednesday, each assuming critical engineering leadership roles. This decision underscores Intel's commitment to enhancing customer relationships and becoming a more engineering-focused company. Concurrently, Greg Ernst, a seasoned sales executive with over two decades at Intel, has been named the Chief Revenue Officer, focusing on scaling Intel's client network.

Since his appointment as CEO in March, Linc Chen has concentrated on rebuilding Intel's engineering teams and sharpening its product alignment with customer needs. A significant challenge he faces is reshaping Intel’s AI chip strategy as the company lags behind competitors like NVIDIA amidst the AI computing surge. Ensuring efficient use of its vast fabrication infrastructure is crucial, with new customer outreach being a primary focus for Ernst, who leads Intel’s sales and marketing efforts.

Srinivasan Iyengar, as the new head of Intel's Customer Engineering Center of Excellence, brings extensive experience from Cadence, where he specialized in custom chip solutions for large-scale data centers. His leadership is expected to drive Intel’s innovation in tailored chip design, addressing critical workload demands.

Jean-Didier Allegrucci joins Intel as VP of AI SoC Engineering. With a background from Rain AI and a 17-year tenure at Apple, where he led the development of over 30 SoC designs for flagship products, Allegrucci will spearhead Intel's future AI products, pivotal to the company's AI strategy.

Shailendra Desai, previously associated with Google, takes on the role of VP for AI Networking Architecture. His responsibility will be to innovate AI GPU SoC architectures, positioning Intel as a key player against competitive forces in the GPU domain. Desai’s experience includes leading SoC chip engineering and architecture design at Google, following the acquisition of his startup, Provino Technologies.

These strategic appointments align with Intel’s focus on engineering excellence and client delivery. With a renewed emphasis on product innovation and market responsiveness, Intel aims to navigate the competitive AI landscape effectively.