Why Read: This week’s issue covers the new trend in self-sourcing that’s spreading across the technology industry – and its massive implications for investing, manufacturing, and the broader tech world.
Few markets these days draw as much rapt attention as the global manufacture of chips. After all, the modern world is built on the chipsets that now keep everything from our cars to our toasters running smoothly, for better or for worse. It almost feels as if modern history could be divided into two eras: Before Chips and After Chips.
Nothing has served as a greater reminder of this fact than the supply-chain issues that have emerged during the global pandemic. Shortages have other causes, too, and the explosion of everything from gaming to cryptocurrency mining has only tightened the market. Add to that the fact that geopolitical instability is on the rise in East Asia, while Taiwan is the world’s biggest source of critical advanced chips, and the problem of consistent supply is obvious.
