Well if they're offering multiples of the original compensation package... I'd think quite a lot would be receptive, especially if they also get a written apology or something if it was an acrimonious departure.
It does seem a bit desperate though, but I guess that's how the cookie crumbled. 2022Intel will likely need to pay a lot more, relative to prevailing wages, to attract the same talent that 2012Intel could.
Remunerations will not work if most obvious things will not work.
Are they stopping being a marketing company, or they are continuing being a marketing company. If it's the former, engineers will know the company still has no real need for them, and they will get sidelined after 1-2 good nodes again, thus all effort for nothing.
Intel says the former, but it's obvious to engineers that they are keeping beating around the bush.
I can't say that getting back into the node race will save intel from it's troubles, because we don't know if the process is their only problem, or whether new ones would not appear.
What I can say is that they will not be able to go anywhere without solving their biggest, and most obvious problems.
Intel Inside still sells, and sells very well. Intel had no problems selling 5 years old dies at very good profit.
So, they would've lasted a long time doing close to nothing, and enjoying very good profits by simply selling the "Intel Inside" sticker.
A real turnaround would only be possible if Intel's leadership will decide to cross the Rubicon, and voluntarily sacrifices this extremely lucrative marketing business of selling 5 years old dies.
If Pat can come out tomorrow with old masks, destroy them in front of everybody, and say "we make a top tier new die, or we go bust," then engineers will believe in him.