Key Takeaways
- Semiconductors are not just components in electronic devices; they are critical technologies that underpin national security, economic power, and technological progress.
- The semiconductor industry is a battleground for geopolitical tensions, particularly between the US and China, reflecting broader conflicts over technological dominance.
- The business model decision of gordon moore (to price at cost to increase demand) was as big an innovation as the chip itself. This created scale that allowed the industry to thrive and reach into every sector of the economy.
- It’s amazing how much power has concentrated in a few companies: TSMC, Nvidia, SMIC, Intel, ASML, and a handful of others. This creates scale and power for these companies but also vulnerability with supply chains and global power, mainly for the US, Taiwan, and China.
What I got out of it
- The history and future of this industry and I learned a lot reading it. The people that run these companies are probably the most important people in the world that most people haven’t heard of.