Brendan Gregg, a celebrated figure in systems performance analysis, has announced his departure from Intel after three and a half years of service. In a personal blog post published December 5, 2025, Gregg detailed his tenure at the chip giant, highlighting technical initiatives that spanned GPU performance visualization and enterprise cloud strategy, all executed during what he describes as "Intel's toughest 3 years in history."

GPU Performance Analysis: The Next Frontier

Gregg's most visible technical contribution centered on advancing AI flame graphs for GPUs. While CPU flame graphs have become ubiquitous tools for performance analysis, Gregg notes that GPU equivalents remain in their infancy. "We're a long way from that kind of adoption for GPUs," he wrote, citing the current limitation of Intel's open-source implementation to Intel hardware only.

His work, however, addresses a growing need as GPU software stacks increase in complexity. "As GPU code becomes more complex, with more layers, the need for AI flame graphs will keep increasing," Gregg predicted. This initiative represents a critical step toward making GPU performance debugging as accessible and intuitive as CPU analysis—a challenge that will become more pressing as AI and high-performance computing workloads proliferate.

Architecting Intel's Cloud Comeback

Beyond visualization tools, Gregg spearheaded a landmark effort to revitalize Intel's cloud computing presence. His work culminated in a comprehensive cloud strategy document featuring 33 specific recommendations, developed through collaboration across six organizations. The strategy included a unprecedented visual map detailing interactions between 19 relevant teams—a document that, according to Gregg, Intel veterans had "never seen such a cross-company map" before.

The strategy emerged from deep customer engagement, with Gregg participating in 110 customer meetings to identify pain points and opportunities. "This is some of my best work," he stated, emphasizing its potential to "win back the cloud" for Intel. The recommendations, now shared with Intel's Executive Leadership Team (ELT), require significant organizational change, multi-quarter investment, and high-level approval—challenges Gregg acknowledged would be difficult to execute without his continued advocacy.

Legacy Amidst Adversity

Gregg's tenure coincided with Intel's most turbulent period, including a hiring freeze that lasted his first 15 months and broader industry headwinds. Despite these constraints, his technical contributions left measurable impact. His blog post includes anecdotes of mentoring from Intel's hardware fellows, interactions with industry leaders like Linus Torvalds (who noted the ubiquity of flame graphs), and a memorable encounter with CEO Pat Gelsinger, who publicly acknowledged Gregg's work.

"I always wish I did more, in any job, but I'm glad to have contributed this much especially given the context," Gregg reflected. His departure leaves a blueprint for Intel's cloud resurgence and a framework for GPU performance analysis that could shape industry standards. The strategy documents and code repositories remain accessible to Intel teams, though their ultimate success hinges on sustained organizational commitment.

As Gregg moves to a new opportunity, his work at Intel underscores the critical role of technical leadership during corporate transitions. For developers and engineers, his initiatives highlight two emerging imperatives: the need for specialized GPU performance tools in an era of accelerating hardware complexity, and the strategic importance of cross-functional collaboration in cloud ecosystems.