Geopolitics
Trade restrictions, export controls, and semiconductor geopolitics.
China’s Chip Ambitions Rise as CXMT Launches $10 Billion IPO
Chinese memory chipmaker ChangXin Memory Technologies Inc. is launching a blockbuster initial public offering (IPO) on Shanghai’s tech-focused STAR Board to raise nearly $10 billion, one of the largest in Asian history and a crucial test of investor appetite for China’s burgeoning artificial intelligence (AI) supply chain. The Hefei-based DRAM (dynamic random-access memory) champion has […]
Jon Swartz · Jul 15, 2026 · 2 min
Micron Bets $250 Billion on AI Boom with Expanded U.S. Manufacturing
Micron Technology Inc. on Thursday announced an expanded $250 billion U.S. investment strategy through 2035, placing itself squarely at the forefront of the domestic semiconductor manufacturing boom. Driven by skyrocketing artificial intelligence (AI) demand and a federal push to secure critical supply chains, the memory chip giant increased its previous capital expenditure commitment by $50 […]
Jon Swartz · Jul 9, 2026 · 2 min
South Korean Government Proposes Massive Investment in Memory Manufacturing
The government of the Republic of Korea has unveiled a plan to invest at least $880 billion in memory capacity to ease the global shortage brought on by AI investment. South Korea is home to two of the three dominant DRAM makers, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. The third is Micron Technology, headquartered in Boise, […]
Andy Patrizio · Jun 30, 2026 · 2 min
Apple Seeks White House Approval to Buy Chips From Blacklisted Chinese Maker Amid AI Supply Crunch
Apple Inc. is lobbying the Trump administration for federal permission to purchase memory chips from ChangXin Memory Technologies Inc. (CXMT), a prominent Chinese semiconductor firm currently blacklisted by the U.S. government, according to a report by The Financial Times. The tech giant approached the Commerce Department more than a month ago and has engaged White […]
Jon Swartz · Jun 28, 2026 · 2 min
Trump Announces Blockbuster Apple-Intel Chip Deal as ‘RAMmageddon’ Hits Tech Industry
President Donald Trump announced early Thursday that Apple Inc. has agreed to partner with Intel Corp. to design and manufacture its semiconductor chips domestically – a potentially big win for the White House’s aggressive campaign to reshore critical technology manufacturing to the U.S. through targeted tariffs and state-backed investments. Writing on Truth Social, Trump criticized […]
Jon Swartz · Jun 18, 2026 · 3 min
Every AI Story Eventually Becomes a Semiconductor Story
When I started covering technology, semiconductors were one of those industries that most people acknowledged as important but rarely paid much attention to. Chips were the engines underneath the hood. They powered servers, PCs, networking equipment and eventually smartphones, but they generally weren’t the story. The story was the software, the applications, the platforms and […]
Alan Shimel · Jun 2, 2026 · 5 min
NVIDIA Plays a Delicate Balancing Game
NVIDIA’s recent announcement that it plans to invest roughly $150 billion annually in Taiwan and establish a major headquarters presence there generated headlines around the world. Given Taiwan’s role in the semiconductor industry, the move was hardly surprising. TSMC manufactures NVIDIA’s most advanced chips, and the broader ecosystem of suppliers, packaging specialists and manufacturing partners […]
Alan Shimel · Jun 1, 2026 · 5 min
America’s Bet on Intel: Why This Investment Is Existential for National Security and Tech Leadership
Insights on America’s bet on Intel and why this investment is existential for National Security and leadership in the Tech Industry.
Daniel Newman · May 28, 2026 · 4 min
U.S. Geopolitics Will Speed Up Semiconductor Supply Chain Deglobalization
The deglobalization of the semiconductor supply chain is underway, and recent global events will accelerate the trend.
Richard Gordon · May 28, 2026 · 3 min
Escape Velocity — When Does China’s AI Stack Break Free?
When does China’s AI stack reach escape velocity? A vector-by-vector reading of Futurum’s 1H 2026 silicon model against Jensen Huang’s Dwarkesh interview.
Erik Bethke · May 28, 2026 · 19 min
CHIPs Act Update: US Secures Domestic Production of Advanced Chips
New US-based TSMC, Samsung, and Intel factories to put US on track to hit goal of producing 20% of world’s leading-edge chips by 2030.
Olivier Blanchard · May 28, 2026 · 10 min
Can Intel Foundry’s Advanced Packaging Bring the Terafab Vision to the Stars?
Intel joins Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI in the Terafab project, committing its process and packaging to a consolidated Texas semiconductor campus.
Brendan Burke · May 28, 2026 · 6 min
$2 Billion CHIPS Act Investment in Quantum Bets on IBM’s 300mm Superconducting Silicon
IBM’s CHIPS Act Investment of $2 billion establishes Anderon, America’s first pure-play quantum chip foundry as part of investments in nine companies.
Brendan Burke · May 28, 2026 · 8 min
Can Micron’s Virginia DRAM Expansion Secure Critical U.S. Supply Chains?
Micron’s Virginia DRAM expansion launches 1α memory production, securing domestic supply for defense, automotive, and U.S. industries.
Brendan Burke · May 28, 2026 · 4 min
Does Huawei’s Tau Scaling Law Challenge the Logic Leadership of Intel and TSMC?
Huawei’s Tau Scaling Law challenges Intel and TSMC’s process node leadership with LogicFolding architecture, reframing semiconductor competition.
Brendan Burke · May 28, 2026 · 6 min
Huawei Claims It Can Build Cutting Edge Chips in Five Years
China has been working to circumvent the highly restrictive sanctions […]
Andy Patrizio · May 28, 2026 · 2 min
NVIDIA CEO Huang Urges Super Micro to Tighten Export Compliance Amid $2.5B AI Chip Smuggling Scandals
NVIDIA Corp. CEO Jensen Huang landed Saturday in Taiwan ahead of the Computex 2026 trade show, smack dab in the middle of a high-stakes geopolitical storm involving record corporate earnings, tight supply chains, and a major international hardware smuggling scandal. Upon landing at Taipei’s Songshan Airport, Huang immediately called on long-time server manufacturing partner Super Micro
Jon Swartz · May 25, 2026 · 4 min
The AI Tariff We Are All Going to Pay (And it’s Not Energy Prices)
I recently wrote about the BYOP movement, where datacenter providers are increasingly making datacenter plans that include dedicated power, so consumers do not wind up paying a tax for the data center industry’s exploding energy demands. But there is another, perhaps bigger AI tax that we are going to
Alan Shimel · Mar 10, 2026 · 5 min