The Epic Humorous Journey of American Microchip Mobilization
“The Great American Microchip Mobilization”
“Covid-19 has made the world more dependent on microchips than ever, and the United States has found itself at the mercy of Asia, where the majority of these digital brain bits are manufactured. A global chip shortage highlights the critical need for a robust domestic manufacturing sector;” – an excerpt from a recent article published on Wired.
Does anyone else sense the tension in the room? Asia (gasp!) is the main producer of microchips, and we’re all seen crumbling under this revelation. If this was an episode of a daytime soap opera, the ominous music would be at full blast right now!
The globe is crippled by Covid-19, the soundtrack should be dirges and the main star? Microchips! These tiny tech slices are evoking a vulnerable underbelly of the all-mighty United States. When did Asia become the superhero of the chip manufacturing industry? Can we churn out a sequel where Uncle Sam mounts a grand comeback to save the day?
But, sarcasm sauntering aside, we are facing a global chip shortage that’s not a pretty sight. Autonomous cars, smartphones, smart…everything, rely on chips, and if the supply gets cut off, that’s a digital coma waiting to happen. Most of us didn’t anticipate a pandemic. Guess who did? Mother nature, with a Mcknight’s Cheshire cat smile.
In the silicon chessboard, Taiwan’s TSMC and South Korea’s Samsung have made impressive moves – they’re producing 7-nanometer chips, while Intel’s factory in Arizona is still dabbling with the 10-nanometer version.
Intel’s CEO recently announced a $20 billion plan to level this lopsided playing field. It’s admirable, and audacious, given that the company is at a crossroads with recent leadership shifts and the need to catch up to its global competitors.
Will this turn out to be a McDuckian dive into a pool of gold coins or an ‘Icarus flies too close to the sun’ affair? Time will tell. The US once led the chip industry; for it to regain its crown, it’ll require more than money. It requires innovation, resilience, and maybe a dash of humble pie.
What’s clear is that the world is over-dependent on microchips. And when a single region produces most of them, the potential for disaster is only a malfunction away. It’s our move now, America. Let’s make it count.
And in the meantime, anyone else getting flashbacks to the early ’90s playing ‘Civilization’? Research advanced technology, invest, trade… the rules are pretty much the same. Checkmate, Asia, or at least that’s the plan!