Intel’s new CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, laid out his vision for restructuring the semiconductor giant during his first public appearance as the company’s leader at Intel Vision 2025 in Las Vegas. Despite having only 14 days in office, Tan introduced a bold strategy centered on three key pillars: establishing a world-class foundry, revitalizing the data center segment, and driving consumer computing innovations. He also emphasized the need for a significant cultural shift within the company.
Intel faces a crucial moment as it grapples with stiff competition from AMD and Nvidia. Tan, known for his successful leadership at Cadence Design Systems and investments in over 250 semiconductor companies, brings a fresh approach to reversing Intel’s recent market struggles. His speech departed from Intel’s traditional strategies, signaling a more aggressive stance toward regaining lost ground.
His presentation came at a time of rapid transformation in the semiconductor industry, primarily driven by the rise of artificial intelligence. AI’s growing influence has reshaped the demands of both corporate clients and everyday consumers, forcing Intel to adapt quickly.
Acknowledging these challenges, Tan openly admitted the company’s recent missteps and stressed the urgency of deep changes to reclaim Intel’s former leadership in the sector.
New Culture focused on Engineering and Innovation.
Lip-Bu Tan has clarified that his mission is to reshape Intel into an engineering-driven company, reviving the values that once made it a technological powerhouse. “Under my leadership, Intel will be an engineering-focused company. One of my main priorities is retaining and recruiting the best engineering talents to enable innovation and growth,” Tan stated.
Acknowledging the loss of key talent in recent years, he stressed the importance of fostering an environment that values innovation.
“I believe Intel has lost some of its best minds over time. My goal is to create a culture of innovation and empowerment. Ultimately, our ambition is to develop the best products and become the world’s leading foundry,” he explained.
Tan’s new cultural approach focuses on eliminating bureaucracy, which he believes stifles innovation. He emphasized that small, focused teams are essential for agility and breakthrough ideas, a principle he intends to implement at Intel. “Bureaucracy kills innovation.
Throughout my career, I’ve seen how small, dedicated teams can move quickly, innovate, and even surpass established giants. We will bring this mindset to Intel,” he declared.
Strategy for Transformation: Customer focus and error correction
Lip-Bu Tan prioritized direct customer engagement from his first day as CEO, leveraging relationships built over decades. “Because of our relationships and my humility, they give me very honest feedback. It is clear from these early conversations that we have a lot of hard work ahead,” he admitted, setting a transparent and realistic tone about Intel’s current challenges.
Tan emphasized openness to criticism, making it clear that Intel has areas where it has fallen short of customer expectations. “I will build strong teams to correct past mistakes and start regaining their trust,” he stated. His leadership philosophy is simple: “Promise less and deliver more.”
He also shared a personal lesson from his time as CEO of Cadence Design Systems, recalling how he once asked customers to rate his company’s products—and the disappointing results. “It was humiliating, but it motivated me to drive change, and that became the turning point for the company,” he reflected. Tan envisions a similar transformation for Intel, relying on honest and continuous customer feedback to guide the company’s improvements.
New approach to a new era: software and went first
One of the most significant shifts in Intel’s strategy under Lip-Bu Tan is a fundamental redesign of its approach to hardware development. “In the past, Intel’s approach was inside-out—we designed hardware first, and then developers had to figure out how to make software work with it. The world has changed,” Tan explained.
The new strategy reverses this logic: “We will start with the problem that needs to be solved and the workloads that must be handled. Then, we will work backward from there.” This shift requires embracing a Software 2.0 mindset, meaning Intel will adopt a software-first approach to designing its chips and platforms.
Tan highlighted that AI-driven system design will play a key role in accelerating innovation. “From my time at Cadence, I learned that adopting AI in design significantly boosts performance and energy efficiency, sometimes by double-digit percentages. This can be a game-changer, helping customers build more efficient and productive solutions,” he emphasized.
3 Fundamental Priorities of Intel
Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has outlined three key focus areas for the company’s future.
The first priority is establishing a world-class foundry, a critical move to compete with TSMC and address the growing global demand for chip manufacturing. “The world needs flexible, resilient, and secure supply chains, and Intel’s foundry will play a crucial role in meeting that demand,” Tan stated.
The second priority is revitalizing the Data Center segment, where Intel has lost significant market share to AMD. “We must strengthen our offerings in the data center space. Intel has lost top engineering talent, and my priority is to bring back the best minds in the industry to rebuild and innovate,” he admitted.
The third focus area is customer computing innovation, where Intel has traditionally been strong but now faces increasing competition. “We need to accelerate innovation in this segment. The market landscape has changed, and workloads are evolving. We can’t afford to stand still,” Tan emphasized, committing to developing cutting-edge products and solutions to maintain Intel’s leadership.
Promises for 2025 and Long-Term Vision
Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan made a major commitment by confirming the launch of the Panther Lake processor using the Intel 18A manufacturing process in 2025. He emphasized Intel’s aggressive roadmap, stating, “We are pushing forward with Intel 18A and our future 14A node. High-volume production for Panther Lake will begin in the second half of this year—this is a must-have for us.”
Tan also highlighted Intel’s unique position as the only American company that both designs and manufactures advanced chips. He underscored its critical role in strengthening the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem, aligning with government efforts to bolster domestic chip production. “I’m pleased to see the current administration prioritizing U.S. leadership in technology and manufacturing,” he noted.
Ending his presentation, Tan reaffirmed his long-term commitment to Intel. When asked how long he plans to stay as CEO, he responded, “As long as the company needs me.” He pledged to bring Intel back to its engineering roots and foster a startup-like culture, focused on customer-driven innovation and agility.
Renewed Engineering Culture
Lip-Bu Tan brings a fresh perspective to Intel’s leadership with a background in quantum physics and nuclear engineering and a successful career as a venture capitalist and CEO. Quoting philosopher Henry David Thoreau, he shared his guiding principle: “Instead of love, money, and fame, give me the truth,” emphasizing honesty as the foundation for relationships with clients, teams, and partners.
Tan’s vision for Intel is deeply rooted in teamwork, inspired by his experiences in sports. “Teams win championships, not individuals,” he stated, reinforcing his commitment to fostering a collaborative culture that values innovation and delivers results.
By acknowledging Intel’s recent struggles and advocating for a humble, customer-focused approach, Tan aims to steer the company toward a new chapter. Whether he can restore Intel’s dominance in the highly competitive and AI-driven semiconductor market remains to be seen.
