SEMICON West

This year’s SEMICON West brought together industry experts from around the world to share insights on three of today’s most pressing topics: geopolitics, sustainability, and the semiconductor supply chain. From October 7-8, leaders from each field offered updates during SEMICON West’s Executive Panel Series, with each topic explored in its own hour-long session.Strategic Silicon: Geopolitics Shaping the Future of Semiconductors SEMICON West’s Executive Panel Series began on Tuesday, October 7, with a discussion on today’s geopolitical ecosystem and its impact on the semiconductor industry. Speakers compared the U.S. semiconductor landscape with China’s, highlighted supply chain strategies to mitigate disruption, and defined what it means to “win” the AI race. Mackenzie Hawkins from Bloomberg News moderated the panel, which featured Vince Jesaitis from Arm, Frank Heemskerk from ASML, Olivier Blachier from Entegris, Sarah Kemp from Intel, and Rich Ashooh from Lam Research.First, the panelists mentioned the U.S. CHIPS Act and the legislation’s attempt to diversify the semiconductor supply chain. Jesaitis added that countries are prioritizing supply chain resiliency, to which Kemp pointed to rising customer willingness to pay premiums for stronger supply chains. But what does it take to strengthen a supply chain? According to the panelists, a prevailing approach has been to regionalize operations. More regionalized supply chains can better withstand policy changes overall, but Ashooh noted that government regulations often can’t keep pace with innovation demands. China, in particular, may have key advantages in this respect. “The U.S. remains the most innovative environment in the world,” said Ashooh. “But if the Chinese government declared something a priority, the support will be there for it.” He also mentioned this arrangement allows China to advance in spurts.Kemp also stated that even with U.S. innovation and government incentives, the country faces longer construction times and greater policy complexity. Meanwhile, China is doubling down on its industry with resources and clear intent. Ashooh also added that China has more leverage in 2025 than it did during the first Trump administration. To address this, the panel recommended policy refinement to make U.S. trade relations more seamless. Furthermore, Heemskerk stated that the best government policies are often boring, advising governments to be predictable and reliable.The discussion concluded with mention of the AI race. Amidst discussion about what it means to “win,” Ashooh offered a simple explanation. Winning, he said, is seeing only customers in front of you instead of competitors. Sustainability Panel: Path to Success—The Semiconductor Industry Leads the WayAfter the Geopolitics panel, the stage swiftly transitioned to a new discussion centered on sustainability. Speakers included Elena Kocherovsky from Applied Materials, Beth Elroy from Micron, Joshua Kang from Qualcomm, and Sanchali Bhattacharjee from Google. SEMI’s Mousumi Bhat moderated this session.It may come as no surprise to learn that sustainability is reaching a critical juncture. According to the Climate Clock, the world has just under four years to address climate change before it becomes irreversible. Bhat pointed to this figure, emphasizing the mounting importance of industry-wide collaboration to make a tangible difference. With such a tight window for change, the panelists explained what’s being done to address these issues. Using AI to strengthen climate data, for example, came up several times. For instance, Sanchali mentioned that AI can bring in new data parameters to solve issues much faster. “We’re sitting at an inflection point where we have to harness the power of data,” she said.Elroy also shared opportunities to replace aging infrastructure with more sustainable equipment, as well as creating products that consume less energy from the start. However, distraction from climate goals is still a significant risk. Kocherovsky highlighted the industry’s limited resources, underscoring the importance of allocating them to efforts that move the needle. She cited clean energy adoption, noting that 80% of the industry’s emissions come from electricity. Fortunately, mitigation efforts are underway. Kang pointed to Qualcomm’s sponsorship of AI-powered air quality monitoring devices in Thailand, while Kocherovsky also touched on Applied Materials’ new sustainability projects. These efforts, while substantial, are nowhere near exhaustive. Tangible work is being done across the entire semiconductor ecosystem to make its solutions more sustainable, but it’s only the beginning. Charting the Course: Futureproofing Your Supply ChainsAs supply chain security has risen in priority, Wednesday’s panel detailed the industry’s efforts to strengthen it. Although COVID-19 exposed the urgent need for more resilient semiconductor supply chains, core issues have existed long before then. To explore this topic, I engaged speakers from across the value chain, including EMD’s Steven Johnston, AltaScient’s Rekha Menon-Varma, GlobalFoundries’ Roger Kao, Polar Semiconductor’s Surya Iyer, and Cisco’s Aman Aflaki. Today’s supply chain risks are enormous. From geopolitical tensions to natural disasters and cybersecurity threats, the semiconductor supply chain must withstand several intense and ongoing conditions. Because of this, the panel stressed the importance of early warning awareness and building buffers to counter setbacks. Creating buffers, Aflaki said, leads to necessary redundancies like using digital twins when feasible or engaging with second-and third-tier suppliers. Today’s customers, he said, also tend to be more focused on resilience and risk management rather than cost. Another emerging risk management solution is to use AI to build scenario models before incidents happen. As AI technology advances, companies that adopt it sooner rather than later could gain a competitive advantage. Johnston also added that AI could lead to more efficient R D and material sourcing. In addition, the panel pointed to the growing worldwide shift to regionalize supply chains. Menon-Varma highlighted that each country is approaching this in its own way, with many new global partnerships arising due to U.S. tariffs and export controls. Kao also reinforced today’s “local-for-local” supply chain trend.Finally, the panel ended with a discussion on collaboration. Although most leaders cite collaboration as crucial for the industry’s future, Johnston noted that working together is often halted by IP concerns. To address this, Iyer pointed to organizations like SEMI that unite key players to solve industry-wide problems.SEMI would like to thank all speakers, sponsors, and attendees for the success of this year’s Executive Panel Series. Bettina Weiss is Chief of Staff Corporate Strategy at SEMI.

SEMICON West 2025 marked a year of many milestones. Not only was it the first SEMICON West ever to take place outside of San Francisco Bay Area, but it was also its largest exhibition in over 18 years. This year saw a 45% increase in booths, along with a 60% surge in registrations over 2024. The CEO Summit Keynote Series also returned to SEMICON West, featuring 14 unique presentations from October 7-9 at Arizona’s Phoenix Convention Center. Top leaders from both government and industry shared insights on a range of pertinent topics, from technology innovations, to emerging partnerships, sustainability and supply chain initiatives, and more. The keynote series began with opening remarks from SEMI’s President and CEO, Ajit Manocha, who urged audience members to focus on strategies that drive the industry forward and reinforced the importance of collaboration. He also outlined SEMI’s current priorities, including mitigating talent shortages, environmental disruptions, and geopolitical volatility.For those who missed the CEO Summit Keynote Series, this blog offers a summary of each presentation. The State of Arizona“In Arizona, vision becomes opportunity, and opportunity becomes action.” – Katie HobbsSEMICON West’s keynote series kicked off with Arizona Governor, Katie Hobbs, who underscored the expansive growth of Arizona’s semiconductor industry. She highlighted TSMC’s $165 billion investment in Arizona, the largest foreign direct investment in the state’s history, as well as more than 60 other semiconductor expansions that have taken place in the state. There are several reasons, Hobbs said, why Arizona has become an attractive place for semiconductor companies. The local talent base is one, with Arizona ranking among the top five states in the country in this area. Hobbs also highlighted Phoenix’s reliable energy grid, pro-business climate, and 100-year plan for water.AI in Every Layer: Future-Ready Strategies for Technology and Talent“This much disruptive innovation can’t be done by any one company. It requires a broad collaboration ecosystem.” – Sesha Varadarajan Following Hobbs, Sesha Varadarajan from Lam Research discussed AI-related challenges and budding solutions that address them. With AI setting the pace of industry innovation, Varadarajan emphasized the need for clarity for device-specific roadmaps. For example, logic is transitioning from FinFET to Gate-All-Around, DRAM is moving toward 3D architectures, and advanced packaging innovations are enabling continued scaling. Ultimately, Varadarajan concluded that device roadmaps would come down to three things: thinner materials, taller structures, and smaller features. Lastly, he noted that workforce development training often lags behind industry demand, highlighting Lam Research’s Semiverse education platform as a solution. Stronger Together - Building a Resilient Future for Semiconductors“When you’re working at an atomic level of precision, every detail matters.” – Jon KempDupont’s Jon Kemp offered insight into how the semiconductor industry can usher in a new wave of transformation. To achieve this, he highlighted three strategic priorities: supply chain, sustainability, and AI. Kemp emphasized bringing manufacturing closer to customers, designing products for energy efficiency, and creating new AI architectures that address mounting performance expectations. He also announced that Qnity, an integrated material solutions provider, will be spinning out of DuPont on November 1, 2025. Where Vision Meets Execution: Global Executive Summit (GES) Unites Industry Leaders“[There has been] lots of progress so far, and we want to build on that momentum.” – Carolin Seward. Carolin Seward from Google took the stage to discuss the upcoming Global Executive Summit (GES) from December 15-16 in Tokyo. This invitation-only meeting will convene industry executives to discuss core sustainability issues, like advancing abatement, pursuing gas substitution, driving green materials, and enabling low-carbon energy. Closer to Home: Costa Rica as a Partner for Successful Operations in the Western Hemisphere“Costa Rica is ready to become part of the solution.” – Manuel Tovar RiveraManuel Tovar Rivera discussed Costa Rica’s efforts to bolster its semiconductor industry. With its close proximity to the U.S., three decades of advanced manufacturing experience, and free trade, Rivera also explained the benefits of U.S. and Costa Rica collaborations. To meet the needs of its trade partners, Costa Rica is developing its local talent base, attracting foreign professionals, offering incentives for R D and startup investment, and streamlining its regulatory processes. Advancing 3DIC Technologies to Propel AI Innovations“Our best day is still ahead of us.” – Jun HeClosing out the Tuesday keynote series was TSMC’s Jun He, who spoke about the packaging innovations that are pushing the world closer to more advanced AI. The key benefit of advanced packaging, he said, is to enhance AI performance and efficiency–but excellent yield is a nonnegotiable requirement. He underscored the growing importance of CoWoS, or Chip-on-Wafer-on-Substrate packaging structures, as well as fluxless thermocompression bonding, to help meet demand for AI. AI Supercomputing for Next Generation Semiconductor Design and Manufacturing“AI factories transform electricity into intelligence.” – Timothy CostaNIVIDA’s Timothy Costa began the Wednesday keynote series by highlighting physical AI as “the next trillion-dollar industry,” and outlined how the company is helping the industry get closer to that benchmark. Costa noted the three NVIDIA computers being used to train physical AI models – Omniverse for simulation, DGX for training, and Jetson AGX for deployment. All of these, he said, need to work together to deliver on physical AI promises, like robotics, autonomous vehicles, and others. Executive Panel – Powering the Next Decade: AI’s Impact on Semiconductor Infrastructure and Market“We’re living in the most exciting time in the world of computing.” – Mukesh KhareFollowing Costa, the CEO Summit Keynote stage transitioned into a panel discussion with industry-leading AI experts – including Laura Matz from Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, Mukesh Khare from IBM Research, Mark Dougherty from TEL, and Angada Sachid from ASM. The panel was moderated by David Anderson, President of NY CREATES. Although there was much said during this 50-minute panel, a few key points were emphasized. First, Khare highlighted open chip design activities for AI models as a way to alleviate cost burdens. Design costs for more advanced nodes, he said, can be greater than $500 million. Matz also outlined the urgent need to develop PFAS-free materials without sacrificing yield. Currently, there are several areas where the industry doesn’t have a solution for PFAS, but AI models may be able to help.Sachid also mentioned power challenges, pointing to how one or two misplaced atoms can be the difference between a power-efficient versus a power-hungry chip. Deposition needs to be perfect at 10 trillion separate locations, and he pointed to AI as an emerging solution for this as well. However, despite the promises of AI, the panelists underscored that people are still a company’s most valuable asset. Revolutionizing Semiconductor Collaboration: The Emergence of AI-Driven Industry Platforms“You can make better decisions with more information.” – John KibarianWhile nearly every session touched on the need for industry-wide collaboration, John Kibarian from PDF Solutions focused on making this feasible. In today’s highly complex semiconductor supply chain, every point is critical, from fabless companies, to foundries, OSATs, and external vendors. To make industry-wide collaboration practical without compromising IP, he noted the importance of secure infrastructure, automated orchestration, and robust AI agents to assess and analyze the raw data that often goes unused. Kibarian highlighted PDF Solutions’ secureWISE system as a tool that’s already in place to address these needs. Shaping the Future of Semiconductors in the U.S.“The specific things that drove growth were the evolution of new applications.” – Giel RuttenAs the semiconductor industry continues its journey to $1 trillion in annual industry revenue, Amkor’s Giel Rutten provided an update on the U.S. market. Because OSATs are heavily concentrated in Asia, this poses a significant challenge for reshoring U.S. manufacturing. Most OEMs, he said, are looking to OSATs to handle several of their processes because it’s cheaper than doing it themselves. Rutten detailed the mounting complexities of backend assembly, including rising demand for multiple, high-bandwidth memory stacks that traditional SoCs can’t accommodate. This is pushing the industry toward heterogeneous integration, which further complicates the supply chain. Rutten concluded by emphasizing the importance of industry-wide collaboration, and noted that Amkor’s Arizona fab will offer a complete, turnkey supply chain in the U.S. Fireside Chat – Harnessing Digital Transformation to Empower People and Accelerate Precision“The more we double down on technology, the more we should also elevate humanity and double down on our values.” – Khadija Ben HammadaWith a strong emphasis on AI during the 2025 keynote series, the final discussion on Wednesday brought humans back into the spotlight. Khadija Ben Hammada from Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Daniel Drellich from EMD Electronics (the electronics business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany), joined Jon Krohn on stage for an insightful talk on empowering employees in today’s AI era. Of the many things discussed, both Hammada and Drellich underscored the need to build trust with employees, as many of them fear being left behind by the technology. While it’s true that companies have invested heavily in AI, such investments also require them to educate teams on how to use it. This can best be achieved through a culture, they said, where people feel comfortable enough to learn in the first place. The panelists also highlighted the importance of finding the right AI tools for specific purposes, instead of blindly choosing the most sophisticated solution. Partnering to Serve the Demands of the AI Era“A foundry business is a trust business.” – Kevin O’BuckleyAlthough there’s no shortage of discussion about the industry’s road to $1 trillion, Intel’s Kevin O’Buckley shared where that trillion-dollar value is being realized. Based on recent projections, the simple breakdown he presented shows that 50% is generated by fabless companies, 25% by suppliers, and 25% by foundries and OSATs. With the rise of fabless companies, he highlighted the need for foundries to provide value to customers, including better power delivery solutions and predictable execution on customer projects. He also shared Intel’s efforts, like bringing its 18A node into production, its PowerVia for backside power delivery, and new slurry formulations for delicate wafers. Bridging the Talent Gap: Accelerating Workforce Solutions for Semiconductors“We're building opportunity and innovation into the semiconductor workforce.” – Shari LissShari Liss, VP of Global Workforce Development and Initiatives at SEMI, detailed the current state of the industry’s workforce needs. More than 170,000 new workers, she said, will be needed in the U.S. in the next five years. To help close the talent gap, Liss shared a roadmap of the SEMI Foundation’s efforts, ranging from awareness programs that target children as young as seven, to apprenticeship programs for adults. So far, the SEMI Foundation has reached 1.25 million students through its apprenticeship and certification programs, 3,300 people through its expanded childcare access, and 7,000 people through its SEMI U courses. Liss also highlighted the SEMI Foundation’s operator role in the newly established National Network of Microelectronics Education (NNME) — a national program that aims to build regional centers around the U.S. for microelectronics education and training. Requests for proposals are now open, and applications are due in December. American Chip Revival and the Trusted Tech Imperative“Trust is the most important word in any language.” – Keith KrachThe 2025 keynotes series concluded with Purdue University’s Keith Krach and former undersecretary of state. During his time as undersecretary, he emphasized the importance of building trust to rebuild the U.S. semiconductor supply chain. Through his trust-first approach, Krach helped secure TSMC’s presence in Arizona, leading to better jobs and a stronger domestic chip ecosystem. In addition, he was instrumental in creating a clean 5G network that later became the xGTT, or the Global Trusted Tech Standard. SEMI would like to thank all speakers, sponsors, and attendees for the success of this year’s CEO Summit Keynote Series. Joe Stockunas is President, SEMI Americas.

The future of technology depends on cultivating a strong and skilled talent pipeline. According to McKinsey Company, the global semiconductor industry could grow to $1 trillion by 2030, driven by surging demand across sectors like automotive, consumer electronics, AI, and clean energy technologies. That’s why the SEMIquest Pop-Up Exhibition at SEMICON West, October 8-9, 2025 in Phoenix, AZ, will bring the semiconductor story to life through immersive, hands-on learning experiences for students, educators, families, and the general public.What Is SEMIquest? SEMIquest is an engaging, interactive experience designed to introduce students in grades 7-12 to the world of semiconductors. The program features hands-on activities, direct interaction with industry professionals, and workshops for educators aimed at highlighting the essential role semiconductors play in everyday life and future career opportunities. Key Program Components:Students trying on NXP bunny suits at Semiconductor Adventure DayIndustry Engagement – Offering students the opportunity to interact with industry through the interactive exhibition space.Hands-On Activities – Highlighting careers in semiconductors and promoting STEM education for students.Educator Engagement – Offering teachers training and resources to carry lessons back into their classrooms.Field Trip to SEMICON West 2025 – Providing students an opportunity to attend SEMICON West 2025 at the Phoenix Convention Center in Arizona, with complimentary admission and curated tours that offer a behind-the-scenes look at the global semiconductor industry.Students from ASU Preparatory Poly Tech Campus Participating in Semiconductor Adventure Day and event led by the Semi Foundation and ASU PreparatoryThe program culminates in an on-site learning experience at the Arizona Science Center, located adjacent to SEMICON West 2025—where students can explore exhibits, engage with companies, and witness the semiconductor ecosystem firsthand.Projected Reach: In its inaugural year, SEMquest aims to engage 500-1000 students in grades 7-12, with a national expansion plan already in motion.Impact Goal: Reach 60,000 families and students during a 4-month Pop-Up exhibition in Arizona through targeted programming and outreach.Why This Work Matters: The Semiconductor Industry Needs TalentSemiconductors are the foundation of modern life—from smartphones to satellites, healthcare tech to AI applications, and more. Yet, many students are unaware of what semiconductors are or how to pursue a career in the field.The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) estimates the U.S. could see a shortfall of 67,000 skilled workers by 2030 in key roles that require postsecondary education.A 2023 Deloitte report warns of a global shortfall of 1 million skilled workers in the semiconductor industry by 2030 if proactive steps aren’t taken.Semiconductor Research Corporation 2023 findings indicate that while 577,000 students pursue four-year STEM degrees annually, only about 19,000 enter the semiconductor industry each year. This disparity underscores a significant gap between STEM education and semiconductor industry employment.SEMI's American Semiconductor Academy (ASA) Vision Paper highlights the importance of raising student awareness through educational and industry collaboration, offering hands-on experiences and real-world applications.Image Source: Photo courtesy of SRC (Semiconductor Research Corporation).The SEMIquest Pop-Up Exhibition tackle this urgent gap through meaningful engagement, accessibility, and experiential learning—helping students envision themselves as future leaders in the field.What Sets SEMIquest ApartReal Industry Involvement – Students interact directly with professionals, tools, and environments used in the field.National Scalability – While beginning in Arizona, the program is structured for national rollout.Cross-Sector Collaboration – A unique fusion of education and industry.Integrated Learning Model – Teachers and students learn together, amplifying classroom impact.Join the Movement: Shape the Future of InnovationWe’re calling on partners across the country to join this work. Whether you’re an industry leader, educator, or community-based organization, your involvement is essential to inspiring and preparing the next generation of innovators.Industry Partners – Showcase your work, engage directly with students, and contribute resources to the traveling Semiconductor Pop-Up Exhibition.Schools Educators – Bring your students, co-host hands-on workshops, and integrate real-world tech experiences into your curriculum.Foundations Funders – Support the expansion of this scalable model and help bring it to communities nationwide.Join us at SEMIQuest! To get involved or learn more, contact Perla DeBaggis at [email protected]. Perla DeBaggis is Sr. Specialist, Career Industry Awareness at the SEMI Foundation.

Use of machine learning and artificial intelligence (ML/AI) is on an exponential rise across fields1 including all aspects of the semiconductor industry. In the last decade, the use of ML/AI exploded in the areas of speech recognition, facial recognition, smart phone features, search engines and now large language models like ChatGPT, Bard AI, and CoPilot. The ML/AI growth has been enabled by massive data storage capacity and increased compute performance, leading to projections for the semiconductor industry to reach over $1 trillion in annual revenue by 2030, with about 50% of the industry’s growth related to GenAI2. Figure 1: McKinsey Company on GenAI driving semiconductor industry growthAs semiconductor manufacturing drives toward Industry 4.0, SEMI member companies have a vision of Industry 5.0, truly adaptive manufacturing, integrating human creativity with robotic precision enabled by AI. Along that path, automation and data exchange in every step of manufacturing is essential, with data acquisition, data integrity and relevance, and operational Digital Twins3 as defined steppingstones to the factory of the future.Based on growing member interest in ML/AI, in 2019, SEMI assembled technology communities that quickly engaged in AI discussions and proofs of concept, discovering gaps in the path to Industry 4.0. Successful demonstrations of the value of AI in chip manufacturing process development and factory efficiency, not to mention GenAI uses in society, hastened the pace to produce faster, more powerful chips to accommodate the computation and communication requirements. Recognizing the industry opportunity and the mounting role AI plays in the semiconductor supply chain, SEMI initiated several thought leadership efforts, namely the Smart Manufacturing Initiative, Smart Data-AI Initiative, and the Future of Computing think tank.Smart Manufacturing According to the SEMI World Fab Forecast, over 100 new and expanded wafer fabs will begin volume production by 2027. This massive capacity expansion will need to achieve the highest possible operational efficiency and performance. To this end, the Smart Manufacturing Initiative is a technology community with over 120 member companies collaborating pre-competitively to transform manufacturing. The SEMI Smart Manufacturing Global Executive Committee (GEC), outlined a roadmap vision for the cognitive factory of the future based-on technology, sustainability and future talent. The GEC has been working with members to realize that vision. Figure 2 describes this vision in terms of the technology progression needed and the approximate timeline for implementation by most manufacturers. The proliferation of this vision through Smart Manufacturing Forums at SEMICON events around the globe, newsletters and blogs has garnered enormous interest and participation in the initiative and is central to the mission of connecting and raising awareness within the ecosystem. Figure 2: AI-Driven Smart Factory (Point Systems to Autonomous Solutions) To move the needle on this vision, industry experts in the initiative successfully created and launched the Industry 4.0 Readiness Assessment Model (IRAM) to help assess technology deployment progress. IRAM adoption is steadily growing. Modern front-end and back-end lines produce an extraordinary amount of multi-modal data from a variety of sources, and this is key to success in unlocking the potential of AI in manufacturing environments. The initiative’s global working groups on Data Architectures and Smart Control Room among others are working towards a holistic Cognitive Factory framework uniting the vertical and horizontal flow of information. Integral to the Cognitive Factory are smart manufacturing standards, that will accelerate the vision outlined above, and without which local solutions are unlikely to scale.In 2023, the Smart Manufacturing Initiative brought together industry leaders in a unique Digital Twin workshop to align on the state of semiconductor development and usage. The key takeaways from this workshop are captured in a white paper that highlighted the need to accelerate efforts in multiple areas including standards. Along with SEMI International Standards, Smart Manufacturing supports other standards development organizations (SDOs) and NIST standards development, for example, to identify and drive critical standards for Cognitive Factory implementation. The initiative is planning future workshops on Cognitive Factory Framework requirements, Digital Twins, and Smart Data AI in the coming months. that highlighted the need to accelerate efforts in multiple areas including standards. Along with SEMI International Standards, Smart Manufacturing supports other standards development organizations (SDOs) and NIST standards development, for example, to identify and drive critical standards for Cognitive Factory implementation. The initiative is planning future workshops on Cognitive Factory Framework requirements, Digital Twins, and Smart Data AI in the coming months.The GEC has identified critical interrelationships in addition to the technology focus. At the intersection with sustainability, the initiative has formed a collaborative task force with the SEMI Semiconductor Climate Consortium (SCC) to develop a bottom-up technology roadmap that can be used as a blueprint for device makers to meet their proclaimed sustainability goals faster. The task force organized a technical session at SEMICON West 2024 and will be releasing a white paper in the near future. Similarly, the initiative is working with the SEMI Foundation to identify necessary future skills and to make training available through SEMI University. Smart Data AI – Applying AI to Semiconductor OperationsSEMI’s Smart Data-AI Initiative started by assembling a group of interested companies to explore the pivotal role AI could play in the industry and to address the criticality of data. All stakeholders agreed that a formidable challenge was (and still is) the integrity of that data and the security of sharing that data, which is considered IP to most. The optimal implementation of ML/AI techniques can only be gained by access to the comprehensive data set which is owned by numerous supply chain partners. Consequently, semiconductor R D, process and design have not yet realized the full benefit of Data-AI advances. In response, the initiative developed a framework to create value for members and support industry progress. Four pillars underpinning the strategy are:Educating stakeholdersBuilding communitiesExecuting proof-of-concept projectsDeveloping industry standardsTo explore the data challenges the subject matter experts highlighted, a collaborative proof-of-concept (POC) project was proposed in 2019 and accepted by the initiative's partners at Army Research Laboratories4 along with academic and industry partners. The project has completed two phases and is starting on its third phase under the expert guidance of an Industry Advisory Council (IAC) comprised of leaders in the Smart Data-AI community.The POC project, being conducted by principal investigators at Cornell University, demonstrated significant accomplishments from the first two phases, including:An AI model to predict device geometry by optimizing photolithography and plasma etching processesInitial demonstration of secure data-sharing techniques with software-hardware co-optimizationInnovative metrology ideas to train AI algorithms rapidlyStudents trained in cross-disciplinary skills to address the industry’s critical talent shortageFurthermore, the visionary objectives laid out at the initial stages of the POC proved to be synergistic with the strategic goals of the CHIPS Act5, which articulates the need for “collecting, aggregating, and sharing data sets that enable benchmarking and operational improvements, tools development, the creation of digital twins, and training AI models,” and that “the NSTC could develop a methodology for the voluntary sharing of data that protects the proprietary component and national security while enabling access to appropriate performance data.” Phase 3, to be completed by August 2025, will advance the state-of-the-art toward the following specific objectives:A framework to create and integrate Digital Twins of semiconductor R D and manufacturing process toolsAbility to explore processes and generate virtual devices swiftlyDefined interfaces to combine models for each process module or toolAccurate AI-based models for executing virtual process flows to build virtual devicesAdvanced solutions for secure data-sharing across the ecosystem – for example, federated learning where raw data is protected for each entity by building models locally, and only the outputs of the local models are used to build flow-level AI modelsFoundation for future industry standards for secure data-sharing and for interfaces in the virtual innovation environmentSEMI continues to build the collaborative community for Data-AI and strives to synergize with broader efforts such as the Digital Twin Manufacturing Institute, NSTC, and NAPMP in the U.S., and international standards development. Smart Data AI – System-level Innovation for AI – Future of ComputingThe cross-collaborative and synergistic objectives of Smart Manufacturing, the Smart Data-AI proof-of-concept work, and SEMI Standards merge to advance the state-of-the-art. The objective is to help members realize the full value of technology and innovation. In addition to improving semiconductor operations using AI, the efforts also strive to enable SEMI members to participate in, and ultimately profit from, market growth opportunities. Continued progress in AI is crucial both for the industry’s march towards $1 trillion in annual revenue, and for continuing to realize AI’s benefits to society.There are some hurdles to overcome in such a dynamic market. AI models, and the data they process, are outpacing hardware advances, posing a major roadblock for continued progress. As GenAI becomes more pervasive, the performance and power challenges continue to multiply, and require significant innovation in both hardware and software. While individual companies will develop competitive products in this domain, the entire ecosystem needs to evolve in a synergistic manner. As a global industry association, SEMI can play an important role in ensuring this. SEMI started a series of workshops and technology sessions to develop the community and identify opportunities and challenges. The first in this series was a joint workshop with McKinsey Co., held in October 2023, with a focus on innovations in “Domain-Specific Architectures.” Strategically, it brought together thought leaders from three diverse communities - start-ups, investors, and SEMI member companies across the supply chain. This was followed by an overcapacity audience at the Future of Computing session at SEMICON West 2024, where we explored AI-specific hardware with leaders in academia and industry. The Initiative’s next planned event in October 2024 is a focused workshop that is designed to be highly interactive and bring together visionaries and thought leaders from across the value chain – materials, devices, architectures, algorithms, and critical enabling technologies such as photonics, chiplets, advanced packaging, and 3D and heterogeneous integration. The overarching goal is to identify pre-competitive collaborative actions that would help the entire industry. The “Future of Computing” is the broad path to the industry’s future success. While AI systems are the current major wave on this path, future waves may be about heterogeneous integration of photonics and other components, and ultimately, quantum technologies joining the mainstream. SEMI continues to monitor these future trends, strengthen the ecosystem and enable innovation through pre-competitive collaboration, and accelerate implementation through standards.SEMI is fostering today’s collaborations while helping the industry navigate the future of electronics.Melissa Grupen-Shemansky is CTO at SEMI, Pushkar Apte is a Strategic Technology Advisor and Leader of the SEMI Smart Data-AI Initiative, and Mark da Silva is Senior Director of the SEMI Smart Manufacturing Initiative.Definitions and References:1https://arxiv.org/abs/2405.15828 Eamon Duede, William Dolan, Andre Bauer, Ian Foster, Karim Lakhani2McKinsey Company3Digital Twins for semiconductor manufacturing operations are dynamic, predictive, data-driven virtual models of a physical asset, process, or an entire factory, constantly synchronized with its real-world counterpart through real-time data streams and analytics4Research was sponsored by the Army Research Laboratory and was accomplished under Cooperative Agreement Number W911NF-19-2-0345. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the Army Research Laboratory or the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government is authorized to reproduce and distribute reprints for Government purposes notwithstanding any copyright notation herein.5“A Vision and Strategy for The National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC)” published by the CHIPS R D Office.

Jose Fernandez, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, sat down with Joe Stockunas, President of SEMI Americas, for a fireside chat on the CEO Summit keynote stage at SEMICON West 2024. In the Securing Critical Supply Chains for the 21st Century discussion, Fernandez emphasized the need to form partnerships to address vulnerabilities as the key to creating stable supply chains. It’s important to band together, he said, to protect our standards, values, and democracy. Diversifying the Global Mineral Supply ChainBecause chip fabricators depend on minerals like germanium, gallium, arsenic, indium, and rare earth elements, he highlighted how imperative it is for the industry to access them sustainably. To accomplish this, he stressed the importance of protection against supply chain bottlenecks in the mineral market. “According to a number of experts, we’re going to need 42x the amount of lithium by 2050, 25x the amount of manganese, and 25x the amount of cobalt,” he said. “Those minerals are basically controlled by one country, and that's a vulnerability.”To address these concerns, he shared that the State Department is working to strengthen the upstream and downstream portions of the semiconductor value chain, with the goal of supporting economic security across the globe. Foreign export controls, he said, have led to supply chain disruptions of key minerals, and bans on rare earth elements, processing equipment, and other technologies. As evidence of the State Department’s efforts to diversify, he highlighted the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) and its work to seek mineral alternatives. Led by the U.S., it currently includes 13 other countries plus the European Union. Partnership and Investment Opportunities To further secure the industry's supply chain, Fernandez discussed the State Department’s efforts to partner with mining countries with untapped semiconductor resources. These countries, he said, also want alternate options for securing critical minerals. Fernandez highlighted Latin America as a key nearshoring focus area, pointing to the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity (APEP) as a solution for addressing obstacles to investment in the region. Obstacles, he said, include education levels, insecurity, and rule of law.To overcome such hurdles, he stressed the importance of fostering economic conditions that will attract investments, emphasizing the importance of workforce development initiatives and private sector involvement. “We don’t have enough trained workers in the U.S., and we certainly don’t have enough trained workers abroad,” he said. Fernandez shared that workforce development programs are being established through the U.S. Department of State International Technology Security and Innovation (ITSI) Fund, as well as private sector efforts and university partnerships. Currently, seven countries have been selected for ITSI funding, he said. “We’ve partnered with a number of universities to address the workforce gaps we see in our ITSI partners,” he said. “We’ve created workforce seminars, and we’re going to spend more time training the labor force.” These efforts supplement the work of the SEMI Foundation to develop a holistic workforce development program for the global semiconductor industry.Preventing Chips From Entering RussiaWith U.S. chips crossing into Russia through third parties, Stockunas asked Fernandez how the semiconductor industry could help address this. Despite existing sanctions against Russia, Fernandez shared that Russia still managed to import $1.7 billion worth of microchips from both the U.S. and Europe in 2023. To help slow this down, he highlighted additional due diligence for companies whose products often make their way into the country. The federal government, he said, speaks with these companies about complying beyond what the law requires.Fernandez shared that private sector cooperation with more stringent standards has been positive, noting that some companies have cut hundreds of distributors to further aid in prevention. In addition, he mentioned that sanctions have made a promising impact overall.“[Russia] has had to use outdated equipment, they’re engaging in counterfeiting, and they’re getting help from other countries,” he said. ​​Official SEMICON West Podcast In a podcast with Francoise von Trapp of 3D InCites recorded at SEMICON West, Fernandez discussed critical mineral partnerships, benefits and setbacks of regional supply chains, and chip sanctions against Russia. To learn more, check out the podcast interview with 3D InCites. SEMI Global AdvocacyDiscover how SEMI Global Advocacy Public Policy supports the microelectronics industry across trade, taxes, talent, and R D.John Cooney is Vice President of Global Advocacy and Public Policy at SEMI.

As more than 400 speakers took the stages at SEMICON West 2024, sustainability and workforce development stood out as two major focus areas. The second day of this year’s CEO Summit keynote program, themed Seizing the Global Opportunities and Challenges Ahead, featured sessions on both topics. One of the first sessions of the day was the Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) panel discussion, titled Bracing for the Evolving Global Risk for the Semiconductor Ecosystem, moderated by Vice President of SEMI Global Sustainability Programs, Dr. Mousumi Bhat. Later that morning, Shari Liss, Vice President of SEMI Global Workforce Development Programs and Executive Director of the SEMI Foundation, moderated a fireside chat, Advocating for Real Change: Why Inclusion and Belonging Need to be Everyone’s Concern, with Sandra Mahadwar from KLA Corporation. Bhat and Liss were later interviewed for a podcast by Francoise von Trapp of 3D InCites to share additional insights on sustainability and workforce development, respectively. Bhat was also joined by Paul Kelly, COO of the New York Center for Research, Economic Advancement, Technology, Engineering, and Science (NY CREATES). Creating a More Sustainable Semiconductor Industry During their interview, both Bhat and Kelly emphasized that the industry will need to reduce its use of per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to sustainably innovate at today’s nanometer pace. For this reason, Kelly highlighted the importance of learning to balance current production demands with the health of climate.To achieve this balance, they discussed the efforts of the Semiconductor Climate Consortium (SCC). Much of the SCC’s efforts, they said, will focus on driving the industry toward net zero emissions. SEMI and NY CREATES announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at SEMICON West 2024 to promote sustainable practices within the industry, with a focus on PFAS reduction. Kelly pointed to the ability of SCC members to test new materials, gases, and chemicals at NY CREATES’ R D facilities in upstate New York to work toward replacing PFAS with more sustainable alternatives. Bhat also shared that this collaboration helps facilitate prototyping, experimentation, and tests and measurements for newer, more sustainable substances.Dr. Mousumi Bhat of SEMI and Dave Anderson of NY CREATES celebrate their organizations’ sustainability MOU at SEMICON West 2024.“The thought leadership comes from the Consortium, and the support on infrastructure comes from NY CREATES,” said Bhat. “This should become a blueprint to solve some of the challenging problems that we have in our industry.” When it comes to reducing emissions, Bhat mentioned two key objectives. The first, she said, is access to clean energy, and the second is the reduction of greenhouse gases. Bhat cited these as the issues that will take the longest for the industry to solve and pointed to the importance of industry collaboration and partnerships to support the needed experimentation. But while partnerships will bring the industry closer to net zero, both Bhat and Kelly cautioned that it won’t be reached overnight. “Much more needs to be done in the industry to reach that net zero goal,” said Kelly. “New chip technologies, new chemicals, and new processes are very much large leaps to achieving that. But right now, even some of the most advanced will only reduce [emissions] by 70%.” To help bridge this gap, Bhat encouraged others to join and participate in the SCC. “Rather than everybody doing a one-to-one experimentation in their own space and spending those resources, I would like to invite anyone that's not part of the climate consortium,” she said. “And [I invite] those that are part of the climate consortium to engage more actively, so that we are all accelerating the journey toward net zero.” Addressing the Talent Shortage This year’s SEMICON West also featured five keynote sessions dedicated to workforce development, as well as a Workforce Development Pavilion that included several talks around diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). With the estimated one million jobs the industry will need to fill by 2030, Liss shared that every role is needed – from entry level all the way to Ph.D. researchers. “We need to try and bring in as many people as we can over the next few years,” said Liss. “The talent shortage is a global issue, not just a U.S. one.” Shari Liss of SEMI moderated the fireside chat at SEMICON West 2024 with Sandra Mahadwar from KLA Corporation.To begin to close the talent gap, Liss stressed the importance of educating children about the semiconductor industry. “We are just invisible to kids,” she said. “In every part of the globe, they carry chips in their hands all day every day, and they don’t know. So to me, breaking that barrier and making sure kids know about our work as an industry is going to be so critical to making this successful.” Liss also highlighted differences in workforce development programs across the world, noting that what works in one region may not translate to another. For example, apprenticeships are widely embraced in Europe, she said, but they’re a fairly new practice in the U.S. Conversely, she shared that veteran-focused programs wouldn’t work for some regions, but they’re a “powerful win” in the U.S. Each SEMICON show across the world, she shared, includes similar workforce development and DEIB programming, in addition to targeted sessions for students and HR professionals. Companies can interview for open positions at SEMICON shows as well. To learn more about SEMI’s workforce development initiatives and programming, visit semi foundation.org, or check out this overview of DEIB content at SEMICON West 2024. Samer Bahou is director of Marketing Communications at SEMI.

SEMI was honored to welcome U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology, Dr. Laurie E. Locascio, to the CEO Summit keynote stage at SEMICON West 2024 on Tuesday, July 9. Locascio, who also serves as the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), delivered her morning CHIPS Act Update keynote address to a packed room of over 1,000 attendees at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.During her address, Locascio emphasized how far the U.S. chip industry has progressed since 2021. “Prior to 2022 and the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act, the U.S. produced 0% of the world's leading edge chips,” she said. “But now, after these proposed investments, we've changed the global landscape.”Industry Shifts from the CHIPS and Science ActDue to long delays and price increases resulting from supply chain vulnerabilities, Locascio shared that Congress began developing the CHIPS and Science Act with two key goals in mind. The first, she said, was to protect economic security, and the second, was to lower costs for American taxpayers. As part of the CHIPS and Science Act, CHIPS for America was established to advance semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S. CHIPS for America encompasses two offices: The CHIPS Research and Development Office, as well as the CHIPS Program Office - both of which are responsible for implementing CHIPS and Science Act law.CHIPS for America, said Locascio, couldn’t be another procurement program. Instead, it needed to be a purpose-driven approach to build domestic manufacturing capacity. Locascio highlighted that CHIPS for America galvanized several experts from the federal government, R D, and other core areas to work together to revitalize the U.S. semiconductor industry and increase capacity. To achieve this, Locascio pointed to CHIPS for America’s $30 billion in proposed direct funding and $25 billion in proposed direct loans.Locascio also noted diversity of technology as being essential for the American chip industry, citing how Intel, Micron, TSMC, and Samsung have recently expanded in the U.S., with SK Hynix planning to build a fab and R D facility in Indiana. No other economy in the world, she said, has more than two of these companies producing leading edge chips on its shores.“The total public and private investment from our four, leading-edge companies will equal roughly $300 billion between now and the end of the decade, far and away the most investment in new production in the history of the U.S. semiconductor industry,” said Locascio. Industry Investments on the HorizonTo further aid these efforts, Locascio mentioned CHIPS for America’s notice of intent to invest $1.6 billion in an open competition to accelerate advanced packaging domestically and encourage innovation. Funding will be directed toward five key R D areas, including equipment tools, power delivery, connector technology, chiplets, and Electronic Design Automation (EDA), she said. Additionally, Locascio shared that CHIPS for America recently announced its first preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to support the upstream supply chain, and shared plans to announce several more PMTs in the future. Lastly, Locascio revealed that CHIPS for America plans to release a model and process for bringing new facilities to life, in partnership with the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC). NSTC members, she said, will gain access to partnership funds and state-of-the-art facilities to support the U.S. semiconductor industry. “Across all these efforts, from manufacturing incentives to research funding, to workforce development efforts, the U.S. must cultivate and build our competitive assets to protect and grow our technological leadership,” said Locascio.In a podcast with Francoise von Trapp of 3D InCites recorded at SEMICON West, Locascio discussed her career background, CHIPS Act investments and the path forward for the semiconductor industry in the U.S. To learn more, check out the podcast interview with 3D InCites. SEMI Global AdvocacyDiscover how SEMI Global Advocacy Public Policy supports the microelectronics industry across trade, taxes, talent, and R D.John Cooney is Vice President of Global Advocacy and Public Policy at SEMI.

Over the three days of SEMICON West, the Workforce Development (WFD) Pavilion will connect SEMI members, including human resource professionals and talent recruiters from across the global microelectronics industry, with current job seekers and those aspiring to work in the industry.

Themed Stronger Together, SEMICON West 2024 will gather industry experts and government officials to share insights into critical areas for the chip industry including supply chain resilience, heterogeneous integration, cybersecurity, sustainability and workforce development.

The SEMI Foundation redesigned High Tech U to help meet the growing workforce demands of the microelectronics industry. The aim: Reach and inspire thousands of current K-12 students to pursue STEM educations and careers.