基辛格曾在英特尔工作了30年，之后被迫离开。2021年，他又以CEO的身份重新回归，肩负着重振英特尔雄风的使命。基辛格试图恢复英特尔在为其他公司制造最快、最小的计算机芯片方面的领先地位，这种商业模式被称为“代工”，目前由台积电主导。
On the evening of December 9, Beijing time, TSMC founder Morris Chang (Morris Chang) said on Monday that Intel should have focused on AI rather than trying to become a chip foundry.
Zhang Zhongmou also said at today's autobiography press conference that he doesn't know why former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger (Pat Gelsinger) left his job, but Intel seems to be seeking a new strategy and a new CEO.
According to reports last week, Kissinger was forced to leave Intel earlier this month because the Intel board of directors had already concluded that Kissinger had to leave his job because his plan to turn a loss into profit did not show results fast enough. This year, Intel's stock price plummeted by more than 50% and was removed from the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Kissinger worked at Intel for 30 years before being forced to leave. In 2021, he returned as CEO with the mission of strengthening Intel's strength. Kissinger is trying to restore Intel's leading position in manufacturing the fastest and smallest computer chips for other companies. This business model, known as “OEM,” is currently dominated by TSMC.
Regarding Kissinger's sudden departure, Zhang Zhongmou said, “I don't know why Pat quit. I don't know if his strategy was bad or if he didn't execute it well. But compared to AI, he seems more focused on becoming a foundry. Of course, now it seems like he should focus on AI.”
Zhang Zhongmou also added, “They currently have neither a new strategy nor a new CEO. It's very difficult to find both.”
Intel has yet to comment on this.
Kissinger's departure is the latest sign that the 56-year-old tech company is falling out of favor. Intel used to be the dominant force in the chip manufacturing industry, but in recent years it has ceded its manufacturing advantage to rival TSMC. At the same time, Intel is also missing out on the generative AI boom, including abandoning investment in OpenAI, the owner of ChatGPT.
According to an October report, Kissinger had high hopes for Intel's manufacturing and AI capabilities, but failed to do so. The contract was either lost, the contract was cancelled, or the promised product could not be delivered.
For example, Intel has reached a partnership with TSMC, which will manufacture Intel's foundry chips. According to people familiar with the matter, TSMC has also offered a significant discount to Intel. But instead of continuing to deepen this partnership, Kissinger hopes to restore his company's manufacturing capabilities. In response, Zhang Zhongmou called Kissinger “a bit rude.”
Analysts say Kissinger's sudden departure provided a new opportunity for Intel, which is in trouble, to consider potential transaction options, including splitting the chip foundry business and selling to Qualcomm.
