AMD has a history of having dysfunctional R&D:

386DX - copied Intel design verbatim (1:1 microcode). Got sued, won only because Intel had multiple source agreements with IBM.

K6 - purchased NexGen. Designed 100% by outsiders.

K7 - once again hired somebody else's engineers. This time almost whole DEC Alpha design team.

K8 - DEC people had some more steam left in them.

K9-Zen period - no more companies to take over and claim credit for their designs, add terrible management bleeding engineering talent while burning money on stupid ideas like Seamicro = in house garbage with 50% Intel IPC.

Zen - finally managed to rehire competent ex DEC engineer Jim Keller after his successful career at Apple.