Exclusive-Intel board member quit after differences over chipmaker’s revival plan | U.S. & World [Video]

By Max A. Cherney

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – The sudden resignation of a high-profile Intel board member came after differences with CEO Pat Gelsinger and other directors over what the director considered the U.S. company’s bloated workforce, risk-averse culture and lagging artificial intelligence strategy, according to three sources familiar with the matter. 

Lip-Bu Tan, a semiconductor industry veteran, had said he was leaving the board because of a personal decision to “reprioritize various commitments” and that he remained “supportive of the company and its important work,” in a regulatory filing on Thursday.

The former CEO of chip-software company Cadence Design joined Intel’s board two years ago as part of a plan to restore Intel’s place as the leading global chipmaker. The board expanded Tan’s responsibilities in October 2023, authorizing him to oversee manufacturing operations.

Over time, Tan grew frustrated by the company’s large workforce, its approach to contract manufacturing and Intel’s risk-averse and bureaucratic …