Top Intel AI Executive Leaves To Lead Security Business At AWS

In her most recent role at Intel, Kavitha Prasad led ‘overall AI strategy and execution efforts’ and was also responsible for ‘developing [the Data Center and AI Group’s] strategy for next-generation data center solutions, cloud architecture solutions, and deployment systems,’ according to a previous memo seen by CRN.

An executive who led Intel’s data center AI strategy as part of a renewed push to compete against Nvidia has left the chipmaker to lead the perimeter protection security business at Amazon Web Services, CRN has learned.

Kavitha Prasad told CRN on Monday that she left Intel as vice president and general manager of Intel’s Data Center and AI Cloud Execution and Strategy Group on July 31 to become general manager of perimeter protection at AWS the next day. Prasad updated her job title on LinkedIn Sunday.

The cloud computing giant’s perimeter protection business includes services like AWS Shield and AWS Firewall Manager that protect customers’ applications and infrastructure from cyberattacks such as distributed denial-of-service, SQL injection or cross-site scripting, according to an AWS web page.

[Related: Gelsinger: Intel Is Prioritizing AI Sales Enablement For Partners]

Intel did not respond to a request for comment. An AWS spokesperson declined to comment.

Prasad departed less than two months before Intel outlined its evolving AI strategy to compete with Nvidia and other rivals at the Intel Innovation event last week, which includes the embrace of open platforms to boost sales of Intel’s chips for PCs, data centers and edge infrastructure.

She became the general manger of Intel’s Data Center and AI Cloud Execution and Strategy Group when it was formed in early 2022 as part of a reorganization of the semiconductor giant’s Data Center and AI business unit, which includes Xeon CPUs, Gaudi AI processors and GPUs for servers.

In that role, Prasad led Intel’s “overall AI strategy and execution efforts” and was also responsible for “developing [the Data Center and AI Group’s] strategy for next-generation data center solutions, cloud architecture solutions, and deployment systems,” according to a February 2022 memo seen by CRN that was written by the business unit’s leader, Sandra Rivera.

According to the memo, several leaders and teams reported to Prasad, including the vice president of cloud and enterprise AI strategy, the vice president of data center business and incubation as well as multiple senior directors with various roles around AI and data center products.

In an April 2022 Wall Street Journal story, Prasad said she was leading a shift in Intel’s AI strategy to focus on developing AI-based solutions to help customers achieve business goals instead of letting customers figure out things on their own with the company’s portfolio of chips.

Before her latest title at Intel, Prasad was vice president of AI strategy and execution, a role she started in October 2021 after leaving an AI chip startup she helped found, SiMa.ai.

Prior to the startup, she worked at Intel in two separate stints for a total of 12 years that included roles such as head of embedded system solutions and senior engineering leader for the Xeon E5 CPU lineup. Between those stints, she served as director of engineering at Xilinx for three years.