Intel’s top strategy executive, Safroadu Yeboah-Amankwah, has stepped down from his role as Chief Strategy Officer just days before the company is expected to announce sweeping layoffs.

His departure, revealed on June 30, adds to a growing atmosphere of uncertainty at the semiconductor giant, which has been undergoing a massive internal shake-up to stay relevant in the AI age.

Sources inside Intel say that up to 20% of global staff could be affected by the planned layoffs, scheduled to begin in mid-July.

These cuts are said to target underperforming divisions and overlap-heavy teams, particularly those not directly aligned with Intel’s new push into AI and high-performance computing. The company has neither confirmed nor denied the exact number of expected job losses.

Yeboah-Amankwah, who joined Intel in 2020, played a key role in reorienting the company’s long-term business roadmap, focusing on data-centric services and infrastructure.

His sudden departure, without a clear successor named, raises questions about internal alignment on that vision. Some insiders suggest that boardroom friction over the pace of transformation may have triggered his exit.

Intel has been under immense pressure to catch up with rivals like NVIDIA and AMD, especially as AI demand for chips explodes.

Despite its heritage as a chipmaking powerhouse, the company has struggled to innovate at the same pace. CEO Pat Gelsinger’s aggressive turnaround plan has included spinning off non-core businesses, massive R&D bets, and now, deep cost-cutting.

For many employees, the weeks ahead are filled with anxiety and speculation. For the broader industry, this marks another turning point in the great tech reshuffle where AI is not just a trend but a tidal force that’s redefining who stays, who leaves, and what survives.