Intel promotes Indian-origin Katti as new CTO, AI chief

Intel Corp. has promoted networking chip chief Sachin Katti as chief technology officer and artificial intelligence chief, Reuters reported, citing a memo from new chief executive Lip-Bu Tan.

Tan is flattening the semiconductor giant’s leadership team, with important chip groups reporting directly to him, according to the memo that Reuters cited

The leadership changes are Tan’s first major move to turn around the chipmaker after years of trouble. Tan took over the top job last month.

Intel’s data center and AI chip group, as well as its personal-computer chip group, will report directly to Tan.

Katti “is expanding his responsibilities to include the role of chief technology and AI officer for the company. As part of this, he will lead our overall AI strategy and AI product roadmap, as well as Intel Labs and our relationships with the startup and developer ecosystems,” Reuters reported, citing the memo.

Katti, who is also a Stanford University professor, will succeed Greg Lavender, who is retiring from Intel, according to the memo.

Intel is also looking for a new head of government affairs, who will also report to Tan, “given the critical importance of government affairs in a complex global environment,” the CEO wrote.

The predecessor, Bruce Andrews, who had worked in the Commerce Department under then-President Barack Obama, left Intel after November’s U.S. elections.

The replacement will be responsible for managing Intel’s relationships with governments in the U.S. and abroad at a time when President Donald Trump has put steep tariffs on China, where Tan’s venture capital fund has extensive investments.