Intel’s shares rose 5% Monday after the company announced the 63-year-old Gelsinger, who began his career at the chipmaker in 1979, had retired from the position of chief executive and also stepped down from the board of directors.

Wall Street analyst on abrupt C-suite shuffle at chipmaker: "Mr. Gelsinger's sudden departure leaves us unsure of the strategic path ahead for Intel."

Pat Gelsinger's departure leaves Intel at a crossroads, forcing the company to confront cultural stagnation, x86's decline, and growing competition from Arm, AI, and TSMC. Here's what could come next.