Intel hires former Qualcomm GPU chief Eric Demers to lead AI chip push

Intel has hired former Qualcomm executive Eric Demers to head its GPU engineering efforts, marking a significant step in the semiconductor giant’s renewed initiative to compete in the data center AI market.

Demers, who previously held the positions of Senior Vice President of Engineering at Qualcomm and CTO of AMD’s graphics division, will join Intel next week as a Senior Vice President focused on AI.

Anshel Sag, a principal analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy, described this hire as “bigger than people realize,” highlighting that Demers is one of the few executives capable of building a GPU architecture from the ground up. At Qualcomm, he oversaw the development of the Adreno GPU architecture across various sectors, including mobile, PC, and automotive.

This hiring comes as Intel seeks to stabilize its AI strategy after facing challenges in competing with Nvidia’s dominance. The company recently missed a $500 million revenue target for its Gaudi chips in 2024. CEO Lip-Bu Tan, who took charge last March, has prioritized data center AI and is advocating for an annual release cadence for GPUs.

Demers’ arrival follows the departure of Sachin Katti, the former head of Intel’s AI Group, who left for OpenAI in November. Intel is currently developing new chips, including the energy-efficient “Crescent Island” data center GPU and the “Jaguar Shores” accelerator, as it aims to capture the market for inference workloads and agentic AI.