Semiconductor manufacturing has become one of the most data-intensive industrial environments in the world, and AI is rapidly becoming central to how fabs operate and optimize. Yet, rather than converging on a single model for AI adoption, the industry is evolving along two distinct paths. One centered on platform-scale… Read More
Electronics production in key Asian countries has been steady to increasing in the last several months. In April 2025, China electronics production three-month-average change versus a year ago (3/12) was 11.5%, up from 9.5% in January but below the average 3/12 of 12% in 2024. India showed the strongest growth, with 3/12 of 15%… Read More
Dan is joined Dr. Douglas Sparks, CEO of M2N Technologies LLC, a consulting firm specializing in semiconductors, MEMS and sensors, including their supply chains. He has just published a new book, A Decade in the Chinese Semiconductor Industry: An American’s Story. Doug was the CTO of Hanking Electronics which built a high-volume… Read More
Now that claims and counter claims about advances in foundational AI seem to be dying down, it becomes more interesting to look at the next wave – AI applications in key markets. Figuring out what is really happening here presents its own problems. Marketing and analyst literature still projects unbounded promise (now dialed back… Read More
Insights into the Semiconductor Industry and the Semiconductor Supply Chain
I am not an expert in geopolitical issues, but lately, my research has begun to worry me. As I was preparing to be interviewed for Chinese media, I was in my “Chinese Zone”, adapting to what is palatable to a Chinese audience. Maybe my mode provoked the thought:… Read More
In the closing scene of Steven Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), the camera pulls back to reveal an enormous warehouse stacked with crates of artifacts hidden away by the US government.
One could imagine a similar warehouse in China today. The crates would hold a different kind of treasure – semiconductor production … Read More
- China Chip Sanctions have had opposite of intended effect
- Helps AMAT, LRCX, KLAC & TEL- Hurts Micron and GloFo
- Tsunami of Chinese capacity will hurt memory & 2nd tier chip makers
- The probability of a much longer chip downcycle is increasing
China is cornering the market on Semiconductor equipment
Quarterly reports from… Read More
- LRCX has OK QTR but “challenging outlook” – Memory still sucks
- China at 48% is a huge risk given potential of more sanctions
- Leading & trailing logic both poor- no recovery in sight yet
- Memory spending at historical lows for NAND
Quarter came in OK but outlook seems weak and unclear
Revenues came in at $3.48B… Read More
Production of electronic devices is finally on the uptrend following a post-pandemic slump in late 2021. According to IDC, smartphone shipments versus a year ago turned negative in 3Q 2021 at -6%. The decline hit a low of -18% in 4Q 2022. Since then, smartphones have been recovering. IDC data is not yet available, but Canalys estimated… Read More
Is Intel About to Take Flight?