Intel lays off more than 35,000 employees
26 October 19:17
Intel Corporation has reduced the number of employees by almost 35,500 people in less than two years as part of a large-scale staff optimization program launched by new CEO Lip-Bu Tan.
This was reported by Tom’s Hardware, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
According to the company’s latest report to the Securities and Exchange Commission, about 20,500 employees were laid off in three months under Tan’s leadership alone, starting with his assumption of office. Adding to this the 15,000 positions eliminated by the previous management brings the total number of layoffs to 35,500.
As of the end of September 2025, Intel’s total workforce was 88,400. A significant portion of the layoffs apparently occurred in the second quarter, as indicated by large restructuring-related write-downs that exceeded $1 billion in that quarter.
Initially, Tan announced plans to simplify the organizational structure and reduce the number of middle managers, but it turned out that thousands of engineers and technicians were laid off, particularly at the Oregon facilities. Only 8% of those laid off in Oregon had the word manager in their job titles.
The staff cuts were accompanied by spending cuts: in the third quarter of 2025, the research and development (RD) budget was reduced by more than $800 million compared to the same period last year, despite revenue growth, indicating the closure of many research projects.
Intel’s CFO David Zinsner told analysts that the company plans to keep operating expenses at about $16 billion in 2026, redirecting funds only to programs with clear strategic or financial returns. These include Intel’s 18A and 14A process development, AI-focused products, and advanced packaging.
