Intel appoints Qualcomm executive to lead PC and physical AI business

Intel said on Monday it had appointed ​Alex Katouzian to ​lead the company's PC and physical ​artificial intelligence unit.

The new role for Katouzian includes the company's crucial PC business, which has been one of the ‌mainstays ⁠of Intel's ⁠revenue and profit for decades.

Katouzian has worked at ​Qualcomm for more than 20 years and has worked extensively ​in the company's mobile chip unit, which makes processors for smartphones and other gadgets.


Qualcomm is ​attempting to challenge Intel and ⁠Advanced Micro ‌Devices' control over the PC ​market with ​a chip based on Arm Holdings ⁠technology.

Intel said Katouzian would begin his new ​role in May.

Intel's physical AI division ​includes systems that power robotics, autonomous machines and other AI devices.

"Alex brings deep technical expertise, strong operational discipline, and decades of experience building and scaling global compute platforms," Intel ‌CEO Lip-Bu Tan said in a statement. "He is the right leader to ​help us ​reimagine client ⁠computing beyond the traditional PC and align this future with the next wave of growth in physical ​AI."

Intel also named interim Chief Technology Officer Pushkar Ranade to the role permanently. Ranade will continue to serve as Lip-Bu Tan's chief of staff.