Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger's missteps strained TSMC partnership and hindered turnaround efforts

Recap: Much ink has been spilled about Pat Gelsinger's missteps at Intel's helm. A new Reuters investigation uncovers some previously unreported details about his tenure, including how he botched a generous discount TSMC had given the US tech giant.

When Pat Gelsinger took the helm as Intel's CEO in February 2021, hopes were high for a revival of the company. However, three years into his tenure, Intel faces significant challenges and setbacks that have raised questions about its future and Gelsinger's leadership.

One of the earliest – and perhaps most significant – blunders by Gelsinger was his mishandling of Intel's relationship with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), according to an investigation by Reuters in which the news service interviewed about four dozen current and former Intel employees and executives.

Gelsinger's return to Intel, where he had spent 30 years earlier in his career, was initially met ...