Top of the Morning: Chips Ahoy - The semiconductor

The podcast explores the history and impact of the semiconductor, drawing lessons from past technological innovations to understand current trends in artificial intelligence. It highlights the semiconductor's evolution from early uses in space missions to its pervasive role in modern technology, including smartphones and AI infrastructure. The discussion covers the importance of government investment and trade policies in the semiconductor industry, referencing the US's efforts to regain market share from Japan in the 1980s. Kevin Dennean emphasizes the critical role of semiconductors in the AI technology stack, from GPUs to specialized memory and network traffic management, while Kurt Reiman draws parallels between the development of semiconductors and earlier innovations like electrification and the assembly line.