Four former Intel board members have cautioned that Intel must act swiftly to preserve its fabs before decay renders them valueless. In an open letter published in Forbes, they feature a stark assessment of Intel’s condition, characterizing it as a consequence of missed deadlines, subpar execution, and misguided strategies.

The quartet—Charlene Barshefsky, Reed Hundt, James Plummer, and David B. Yoffie—each have extensive experience with Intel and emphasize their serious concerns. They note that Intel appears to be retreating from the competition for advanced chip production.

Intel itself has also indicated its potential exit from cutting-edge manufacturing if key clients for its upcoming 14A node are not secured, which aligns with the board members’ assertions about the precarious future of Intel’s manufacturing capabilities.

These influential figures suggest a public-private partnership be formed, involving companies like Nvidia, Qualcomm, Google, and Apple, to secure the future of Intel’s manufacturing assets, urgently calling for the creation of an ‘American Foundry’. Their conclusion stresses the need for immediate action to avert a detrimental reliance on overseas manufacturers.