Intel’s AI Shakeup: CEO Takes Direct Control as CTO Defects to OpenAI

Intel's artificial intelligence division just got a leadership overhaul—and Wall Street is watching closely. CEO Pat Gelsinger seizes direct control of the AI unit after CTO Greg Lavender jumps ship to OpenAI. The move comes as semiconductor giants scramble to prove their AI bona fides to skeptical investors.

Gelsinger now faces a make-or-break challenge: Deliver competitive AI chips before NVIDIA and AMD cement their dominance. The market's patience—like Intel's process node advantage—is wearing thin.

One thing's certain: In the high-stakes AI hardware race, even blue-chip tech giants aren't immune to executive musical chairs. Just don't expect the 'AI transformation' PowerPoints to stop anytime soon.

TLDR

• Intel’s CTO Sachin Katti exits to join OpenAI’s AGI infrastructure team.
• CEO Lip-Bu Tan to lead Intel’s AI and Advanced Technologies Group.
• Intel aims to strengthen its AI chip strategy amid market competition.
• Katti brings deep AI and edge computing expertise to OpenAI.
• INTC stock closed at $38.45, gaining 0.84% amid leadership reshuffle.

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) stock ROSE 0.84% to $38.45 at Monday’s close after announcing that CEO Lip-Bu Tan will oversee the company’s artificial intelligence initiatives.

Intel Corporation, INTC

The change follows the departure of Chief Technology Officer Sachin Katti, who has joined OpenAI to lead compute infrastructure development for artificial general intelligence (AGI) research.

The leadership reshuffle highlights Intel’s renewed emphasis on maintaining competitiveness in the AI chip sector while navigating challenges in its foundry business. The company’s year-to-date (YTD) return stands at 91.77%, marking strong investor confidence amid its ongoing turnaround strategy.

Leadership Transition: Lip-Bu Tan Takes Charge

Intel confirmed that Lip-Bu Tan will now directly oversee the company’s AI and Advanced Technologies Group. The MOVE underscores the company’s commitment to executing its technology roadmap for emerging AI workloads.

“We thank Sachin for his contributions and wish him all the best. Lip-Bu will lead the AI and Advanced Technologies Groups, working closely with the team,” Intel said in a statement.

Tan’s decision to personally guide the division arrives as Intel faces heightened competition from NVIDIA, AMD, and custom silicon developers aligned with major cloud providers. The CEO has been restructuring the organization since taking charge, flattening leadership and appointing executives with proven industry experience.

Katti Joins OpenAI to Strengthen Compute Infrastructure

OpenAI’s President Greg Brockman confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that Katti will be “designing and building our compute infrastructure, which will power our AGI research and scale its applications.”

At Intel, Katti had been leading AI initiatives and product roadmaps, while fostering collaborations across Intel Labs and AI startups. Before joining Intel, he spent nearly 15 years as a Stanford University professor, specializing in wireless communication, networking, and applied coding theory.

Katti’s transition signifies a broader industry trend: experienced chip and systems engineers moving to AI-first firms to enhance their hardware efficiency and data center designs. His background positions him as a key contributor to OpenAI’s evolving compute architecture strategy.

Intel’s Strategic Restructuring and Market Outlook

Under Tan’s leadership, Intel continues to reshape its operations to regain technological leadership. The CEO has promoted internal talent such as Naga Chandrasekaran and recruited external experts, including former Arm executive Kevork Kechichian, to strengthen its manufacturing and data center units.

Despite challenges in attracting major foundry customers and rivaling Nvidia in high-performance AI chips, Intel remains focused on integrating AI across its product lines. The company’s three-year return stands at 33.99%, while its five-year performance reflects a decline of 6.40%, compared with the S&P 500’s 92.71% gain.

With Lip-Bu Tan now steering its AI division, Intel aims to restore its position as a top-tier chipmaker in the era of accelerated computing and artificial intelligence.