Workers make progress in 2023 on one of Intel’s new facilities in south Chandler. The Intel Corp. reported Aug. 25 it will add 97 more layoffs to what had been previously announced.
On the heels of several high-profile developments over the past few months, Chandler’s largest employer is going to lose even more jobs.
Intel filed a notice of reduction with Arizona Workforce Connections on Aug. 25, saying as many as 97 workers in Chandler will lose their jobs.
The move isn’t a complete surprise. Even after Intel filed a notice on July 7, announcing as many as 172 of its west Chandler employees could be let go soon, then revised that total to 696 a few days later, CEO Lip-Bu Tan said July 24 that the semiconductor maker has completed “a significant amount of our workforce reductions” in the second quarter.
Tan said Intel is implementing a plan to reduce its headcount by about 15%, and plans to end the year with a global workforce of about 75,000 employees through workforce reductions and attrition.
On Aug. 7, the Associated Press reported President Trump posted online that he wanted Tan to resign, fewer than five months after the tech giant hired him. The demand was triggered by reports raising national security concerns about Tan’s past investments in Chinese tech companies while he was a venture capitalist.
But Trump backed off after Tan professed his allegiance to the U.S. in a public letter to Intel employees and went to the White House to meet with the president, who later applauded the Intel CEO for having an “amazing story.”
The Intel Corp. reported second-quarter 2025 financial results that were accompanied by a letter to employees from Tan. He said second-quarter numbers show “a first step in the right direction.”
He said the downsize will streamline the number of management layers by about 50% in the process, though he didn’t mention site-specific reductions or layoffs in his letter.
Intel not only has an infrastructure agreement with the city of Chandler, mainly for its Ocotillo campus on the south side, it’s investing billions in expanding and building two new fabrication facilities.
No word has been made at all in 2025 about when those two fabs will be online and officially open; Chandler economic development director Micah Miranda said he hasn’t heard or seen any variation from a planned fourth-quarter opening of those two fabs.
Tan did mention the Intel fabs in the context of ramping up production, though it isn’t clear what that means in terms of workforce numbers.
“Job No. 1 is ramping Intel 18A (Ocotillo) at scale,” Tan wrote. “Intel 18A and Intel 18A-P are critical nodes for Intel products and will drive meaningful wafer volumes well into the next decade.”
Tan also stated the tech giant is on track to implement its return-to-the-office policy in September, amid reports the chipmaker has fallen behind other tech giants like Nvidia in developing more A.I. technology more quickly.
Tan also had a message that seemed directed at Chandler and other residents who have or are about to lose their jobs with Intel.
“These actions are critical to strengthening our competitive position going forward, but it means we are saying goodbye to valued colleagues,” Tan wrote. “To everyone who will be leaving Intel: Thank you, sincerely, for your contributions.”
Jason W. Brooks News Editor | Chandler Independent
Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.
Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.
Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.
Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.
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