Speaking to more than 6,500 technology executives at an industry conference sponsored by market researcher Gartner, Barrett addressed everything from Intel's missteps with its chip rollouts to the impact of U.S. economic policy.
Craig Barrett: "We've changed our direction""I would have preferred to not have missed that commitment," Barrett said, bending down on one knee and facing the audience. "Forgive us."
He said the change in plans points to the choices Intel must make between building faster or more powerful processors. "It's an indication of what the industry was facing in terms of a power challenge. We can run transistors faster. Or we can use them to do something else, like increase performance."
Intel's move to go to multicore processors "is precisely what we have to do to prevent that power challenge," he said. "Give users benefits, not just a brighter light bulb."
Barrett, an outspoken critic of government policy on education and research funding, didn't give any hints about his own plans.
"I don’t intend to abandon high tech after I step down…from CEO. I hope to stay involved with Intel and the industry in some capacity," said Intel's chief executive, who will be succeeded by company president Paul Otellini in May.
He says he will be content to stay on the political sidelines. There will be "no government role" for him, he said. "I've been involved with Intel and the industry for 30 years. It continues to enthrall me. Leaving the business is always a challenge."
Still, Barrett took the opportunity to decry the lack of U.S. funding for science education and research.
"The worldwide environment and other factors are challenging. That's what you don’t see debated in the presidential elections," Barrett said. "There are a lot of well-educated people providing competition for U.S. jobs, but we're not debating that. We're debating how to protect textile workers. We're debating how to protect pillow case workers."
