Intel CEO to oversee its AI efforts after executive departs for OpenAI

Intel said on Monday its CEO Lip-Bu Tan would oversee the chipmaker’s artificial intelligence efforts after the firm’s chief technology officer departed for ChatGPT maker OpenAI. Sachin Katti, who has led Intel’s AI efforts since a management reorganisation at the chipmaker in January, said on social media site X that he had joined OpenAI.

“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.

“AI remains one of Intel’s highest strategic priorities, and we are focused on executing our technology and product roadmap across emerging AI workloads,” the company added.

OpenAI President Greg Brockman said on X that Katti would be “designing and building our compute infrastructure, which will power our (artificial general intelligence) research and scale its applications to benefit everyone.”

OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A number of top executives have departed Intel since Tan took over in March and attempted a turnaround at the embattled chipmaker.

Intel has struggled to attract a big customer for its contract manufacturing business, or foundry. While the company’s central processors are used in AI server systems - at a smaller scale than the main AI chips - Intel has struggled to produce a data center AI chip that can rival the silicon designed by Nvidia and manufactured by Taiwan’s TSMC.

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Katti joined Intel roughly four years ago and worked in the networking group, which he eventually ran under former CEO Pat Gelsinger.

Tan promoted Katti to chief technology officer and chief AI officer in April, when he flattened the company’s leadership structure. Previously, Katti was a Stanford professor for nearly 15 years.

Tan has elevated some executives and expanded roles. Naga Chandrasekaran, who was running Intel’s manufacturing subsidiary, was given more responsibility for working with external contract manufacturing customers.

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Tan has also brought in new executives from outside the company, such as hiring former Arm executive Kevork Kechichian to run the company’s data centre unit. REUTERS