Фото: Intel
Former Intel CEO Craig Barrett believes that the company should not divide its business into two parts.
According to him, Intel has made a technological breakthrough that allows it to catch up with TSMC’s N2 process. Barrett published his article in Fortune in response to a proposal by several former Intel directors who advocated the division of the semiconductor giant.
The former CEO says that the reason for the failure of Intel’s lithography business in recent years is the lack of technology that would allow it to compete with the Taiwanese manufacturer, not customer distrust. But now that the company achieves success with 18A technology, separation of production will only create distractions and complications. Instead, Intel should focus all of its efforts on the 18A process and guarantee «good customer service, fair prices, guaranteed capacity, and a clear separation of chip designers from their manufacturing customers».
Barrett also criticized Intel’s former and current board. He believes that the board is fully responsible for what has happened to Intel over the past ten years. The next CEO to take over the company should build on Pat Gelsinger’s achievements. Barrett argues that while the board had good intentions, they were scientists and former government bureaucrats who were not familiar with the complexities of running a semiconductor business.
«In my opinion, a much better move would be to fire Intel’s board and rehire Pat Gelsinger to finish the job he has been doing so well over the past few years».
Pat Gelsinger, who was dismissed from the position of the company’s CEO in December last year, was one of the key leaders who led Intel to a technological breakthrough that could put the company alongside TSMC. However, we have previously wrote that the 18A process is not really that good at the current stage. The low yield of suitable chips can even lead to a delay in the release of Panther Lake processors.