Intel’s ongoing financial and operational struggles have become hard to ignore. According to Bloomberg sources, the tech giant may be preparing for another major round of layoffs—potentially letting go of over 21,000 employees, or about 20% of its current workforce.
At the end of 2024, Intel still employed around 108,900 people, even after significant cuts in the past two years. If these new layoffs are confirmed, the company’s headcount could dip below 100,000 for the first time in recent memory.
To put the situation into perspective: Intel reportedly cut about 15,000 jobs in both 2023 and 2024. That means the company could shrink from a workforce of 131,000 in early 2023 to under 90,000 by the end of this new restructuring wave—marking one of the most dramatic downsizings in its history.
Intel Restructures Under New Leadership, Delays Key Launches Amid Uncertainty
With Lip-Bu Tan stepping in as the new CEO, Intel is taking bold steps to reverse its downward spiral. The company has started selling off parts of its internal divisions for billions, aiming to boost liquidity and slash expenses as it tries to recover from a crisis that has lingered since 2023.
Part of this strategy includes a renewed focus on manufacturing its own chips—reducing its reliance on TSMC. However, the shift hasn’t been without controversy. Intel continues to insist that its next-generation 18A process is progressing well, but persistent rumors suggest otherwise.
Originally, Intel’s Panther Lake CPUs, meant to debut the 18A lithography, were scheduled to launch by the end of this year. Now, that timeline has shifted. Mass production is set to begin in 2025, with consumer availability expected sometime in early 2026.
