In this episode of The Circuit, hosts Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg dive into the latest tectonic shifts across the technology and semiconductor sectors, starting with a deep dive into Nvidia's recent earnings report . They analyze Nvidia's impressive numbers—including $91 billion in revenue guidance and strong gross margins—and contrast that success with the stock's stagnant post-earnings performance, comparing the current market skepticism to Apple’s smartphone growth cycle around 2010 . The duo breaks down Nvidia's new segment reporting structure, debating the strategic implications of blending networking into data center revenue and splitting the segment into hyperscalers and "Neo clouds" . Ben then shares his first-hand observations from Dell Tech World, highlighting emerging enterprise trends like the financial motivations driving a shift back toward on-prem AI infrastructure to curb unsustainable cloud token spend . Finally, they wrap up the episode by examining two major recent IPO filings: Elon Musk's multifaceted SpaceX S1 and the rare, high-growth prospectus of China’s largest memory maker, Chongqing Memory Technologies (CXMT) .

In this episode of The Circuit, hosts Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg dive into the rapidly shifting economics and structural changes across the semiconductor and AI industries. From the recent Cerebras IPO to the massive long-term forecast visibility in wafer fabrication equipment, they analyze whether current capital cycles align with the reality of enterprise AI demand. Finally, they debate how the "Angstrom era" and the end of Moore’s law are forcing a complete reinvention of chip manufacturing from scratch.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg dive deep into the rapidly shifting landscape of semiconductor supply chains and the unexpected "CPU renaissance" driven by agentic AI. The duo explores the "ultimate constraint" currently bottlenecking the industry, breaks down the latest earnings from ARM and AMD, and analyzes why the "Neo Cloud" players might be facing a massive strategic deficit.Key Discussion Points:The Anhydrous Hydrogen Bromine Crisis: Jay reveals the "ultimate shortage" involving a rare gas essential for EUV lithography and memory production, involving a geopolitical tangle of Japanese refining and Israeli raw materials.+4The Death of the CPU-to-GPU Ratio: Why the industry is moving away from simple hardware ratios and toward rack-level topology and workload-specific modeling.+4ARM & AMD’s "Agentic" Surge: Insights into how the need to execute AI-generated code is driving massive demand for high-core-count CPUs, far exceeding previous estimates.+4Optical Networking Timing: A reality check on the "hockey stick" growth for optical interconnects, which is projected to truly inflect around 2028.+1The Neo Cloud Challenge: A critical look at CoreWeave, Nebius, and Iron, focusing on their massive CPU-install-base deficit compared to hyperscalers.+2Breaking News: Late-session discussion on the rumored foundry deal between Intel and Apple.+1

This episode of The Circuit features Jeremy Werner, SVP and GM of Micron’s Core Data Center Business Unit, discussing the transformative impact of AI on the memory and storage industry. Werner explains that the industry has shifted from a traditional cyclical model to a period of sustainable growth, driven by the unique demands of AI training and inference. He highlights the emergence of a "memory wall" in inference, where massive amounts of high-speed memory and storage are required to manage expanding context windows and avoid redundant recomputation. The conversation also covers Micron's efforts to innovate across the memory hierarchy—including HBM4 and ultra-high-capacity SSDs—to solve the data center's critical bottlenecks of power and physical space.

In this episode of The Circuit, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg dive deep into an action-packed week for the semiconductor industry. Ben shares his firsthand insights from Google Next, detailing the launch of the new TPU v5p and v5i(referenced as 8T and 8I) and Google’s strategic shift toward disaggregated training and inference silicon. The duo then pivots to Intel’s surprisingly strong earnings, discussing whether the "CPU resurgence" and foundry improvements signal an end to the company’s existential crisis. Finally, they analyze the "drama" from the TSMC Symposium regarding High-NA EUV adoption and debate the long-term durability of the current semiconductor bull cycle.

In this episode of The Circuit, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg analyze a pivotal week in tech, beginning with TSMC’s strong earnings and their strategic decision to ramp up CapEx and N3 production specifically to meet massive AI demand. The duo explores the industry-wide compute deficit impacting firms like Anthropic and the potential IPO of Cerebras, while discussing the fragmenting market for custom ASICs as Google explores design partners like Marvell and MediaTek. Finally, they weigh in on the end of an era at Apple with Tim Cook stepping down; they argue his greatest legacy was preserving the company’s unique culture while handing the reins to John Ternus to lead a new hardware and AI growth cycle.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg analyze recent developments in the semiconductor industry, AI advancements, and data center innovations, providing insights into market dynamics, strategic moves by Intel, and the future of AI hardware and software.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the latest developments in the semiconductor industry, focusing on MediaTek's strategic shift into ASICs, memory shortages, supply chain constraints, and Intel's recent acquisitions. They analyze market dynamics, technological advancements, and future trends shaping the industry.

This episode explores ARM's strategic shift into product manufacturing, the implications for the CPU market, and the evolving landscape of AI and memory technology. Hosts Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg analyze ARM's new CPU launches, market positioning, and the future of AI models like Mythos, providing insights into the industry's next phase.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss Nvidia GTC, AI infrastructure, optical networking, and the future of semiconductor technology. They analyze Nvidia's strategic positioning, product innovations, and industry trends shaping the AI and data center landscape. They also talk OFC/optical trends and Micron earnings.

In this episode of The Circuit, hosts Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg dive into NVIDIA’s strategic positioning within the AI infrastructure stack, colloquially referred to as a "five-layer cake". They dissect NVIDIA’s recent push into open-source models, comparing it to Intel’s historical dominance through Linux optimizations, while questioning the true intent behind NVIDIA’s $26 billion "investment" in open-source R&D. The conversation shifts to the rapidly evolving world of "agentic orchestration," where AI agents collaborate across different models to maximize efficiency and token spend. Finally, the duo explores the broader hardware ecosystem, including Meta’s ambitious six-month silicon cadence and the supply chain "masters" who hold leverage in a world defined by compute constraints.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg analyze the latest earnings reports from Broadcom and Marvell, discuss the future of AI semiconductors, optical vs copper interconnects, and Apple's strategic moves in affordable devices. They explore industry trends, supply chain dynamics, and technological innovations shaping the semiconductor and consumer electronics markets.

In this episode, Ben and Jay discuss a whirlwind week of announcements in the tech industry, focusing on AMD's partnership with Meta, NVIDIA's impressive quarterly performance, and OpenAI's significant funding round. They explore the implications of these developments for the semiconductor market, the rise of AI agents, and the future of SaaS. The conversation highlights the importance of profitability, strategic partnerships, and the evolving competitive landscape in the tech sector.

In this episode of The Circuit, Ben Bajarin, Jay Goldberg, and Paul Karazuba discuss the current state of the semiconductor industry, focusing on the impact of tariffs, supply chain challenges, and the shift from copper to fiber in networking. They explore the inflection points driving demand for AI compute and the potential for mergers and acquisitions in the sector. The conversation highlights the complexities of navigating geopolitical tensions and the evolving landscape of technology and infrastructure.

In this episode, Ben and Jay discuss various topics related to the tech industry, focusing on hyperscalers, cloud computing, and the memory market. They analyze the earnings of Nebius and CoreWeave, the implications of heavy asset businesses, and the dynamics of AI and memory. The conversation also covers the performance of Applied Materials and networking companies like Cisco and Arista, highlighting the challenges and opportunities in these sectors.

In this episode, Ben and Jay discuss the significant surge in capital expenditure (CapEx) among major tech companies, dubbed 'CapEx Palooza.' They explore investor sentiment and market reactions to these expenditures, the implications of backlogs and demand in the tech sector, and the future of AI and cloud services. The conversation also delves into the dynamics of CapEx spending among hyperscalers, emerging trends in semiconductor mergers and acquisitions, and the impact of rising memory prices on consumer electronics. Additionally, they highlight the strategic acquisition of Silicon Labs by Texas Instruments and the potential of timing technologies in the market. The episode concludes with an announcement about their upcoming live stream.

This episode of The Circuit dives into the current "gold rush" of semiconductor earnings, navigating the tension between unprecedented demand and the hard physical constraints of the supply chain. Hosts Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg explore why the current Wafer Fab Equipment (WFE) cycle is structurally different from the past, the internal "compute wars" happening within hyperscalers like Microsoft and Meta, and the surprising volatility in the storage and analog markets.Whether it's the "AI hotel" backlog or the high-stakes memory negotiations at Apple, this discussion provides a deep look at the plumbing behind the AI revolution.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss Intel's recent earnings report, highlighting the company's strong Q4 performance but disappointing guidance due to wafer capacity constraints. They explore the challenges Intel faces in scaling its foundry operations, the market's reaction to the earnings call, and the strategic decisions being made by Intel's leadership. The conversation also delves into the complexities of advanced packaging and yield issues, as well as the future opportunities for Intel in the semiconductor industry and the importance of customer relations.

In this episode of The Circuit, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the launch of Ben's new publication, "The Diligent Stack." The duo then performs a deep dive into TSMC’s recent earnings, analyzing the risks of semiconductor cyclicality, the massive CapEx requirements for the future, and the specific bottlenecks in advanced packaging (CoWoS). Later, they shift focus to OpenAI’s partnership with Cerebras and the introduction of ads to fund massive compute needs. Finally, they break down the latest data on GPU pricing, highlighting the significant premiums hyperscalers charge compared to NeoClouds and the difficulty of tracking pricing for Nvidia's new Grace Blackwell chips.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the highlights from CES 2023, focusing on the significant advancements in robotics, AI infrastructure, and the competitive landscape among major tech companies like NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel. They explore the themes of modularity in data centers, the evolving role of CPUs, and the challenges posed by memory supply constraints. The conversation also touches on the future of autonomous vehicles and the integration of AI in everyday technology, emphasizing the rapid pace of innovation in the tech industry.

In this conversation, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg engage with Benedict Evans to explore the current state of AI development, its historical context, and future predictions. They discuss the potential for an AI bubble, the importance of productization for user adoption, and the varying levels of AI integration across different industries. The conversation also touches on the comparison between Nvidia and Sun Microsystems, highlighting the challenges and opportunities in the AI landscape.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin, Jay Goldberg, and Austin Lyons delve into the evolving landscape of networking, particularly in the context of AI and GPU technologies. They discuss the transition from traditional networking methods to more complex AI-driven networking, the significance of scaling strategies, and the critical role of SerDes in modern data centers. The conversation also touches on the ongoing debate between copper and optical networking solutions, highlighting the challenges and innovations in the field.

This discussion analyzes the evolving landscape of semiconductor networking and custom silicon, anchored by recent updates from Marvell and Broadcom. Ben and Jay review Marvell’s Industry Analyst Day, noting the company’s strategic pivot toward networking and optical interconnects over pure custom logic. They debate the technical and timeline challenges of shifting AI clusters from copper to optical (fiber) cabling, contrasting Google’s proprietary all-optical approach with the broader merchant market. The conversation then moves to Broadcom’s recent earnings, dissecting the market’s negative reaction to CEO Hawk Tan’s low-energy performance, the looming competitive threat of MediaTek at Google, and the complexities of modeling AI revenue. Finally, they close with a year-end review of AI stock performance, highlighting growing capital sensitivity and skepticism regarding the sustainability of current AI infrastructure spending.

In this episode, Ben and Jay discuss a range of topics including Ben's health update, Amazon's recent AWS event focusing on AI compute, the competitive landscape with Nvidia and Google, Marvell's earnings and challenges in custom silicon, networking innovations with DPUs, Marvell's acquisition of Celestial, Nvidia's investment in Synopsys, Intel's resurgence in advanced packaging, and the leadership changes at Apple. The conversation highlights the evolving dynamics in the tech industry, particularly in AI and cloud computing.

In this conversation, Ben Bajarin discusses the recent innovations surrounding NanoBanana and its new feature, Notebook LM, which has significantly impacted the way infographics are created. He highlights the ease with which users can transform data and text into visually appealing infographics, showcasing the power of AI in data visualization.

The conversation explores the dynamics of market competition, particularly focusing on AMD's position and the strategies of hyperscalers. The discussion delves into game theory as a framework for understanding potential future scenarios in the tech industry. They also discuss key neocloud earnings and engage in a conversation on if these companies are REITs or neoclouds.

This episode argues that today’s AI exuberance fits a familiar pattern: bubbles misallocate capital on the way up but leave behind productive infrastructure that powers the next S-curve. We revisit the “boom-bust-build-out” cycle and apply it to compute and the grid, note why “good enough” AI latency could flip capex behavior, and push back on modeling everything in gigawatts—useful for planning, risky for strategy. On companies: ARM’s quarter was solid, with rising royalties/CSS stickiness and a strongly implied first-party chip effort complemented by the DreamBig memory-controller acquisition to improve AI-era CPU roles. Qualcomm benefits from a higher-ASP Android cycle, nurtures auto/smart-glasses adjacencies, and eyes DC inference. On supply: Elon hedges silicon with foundry allocations while fab-building talk reads as negotiating leverage; memory/storage stay tight with longer contracts and measured adds. Net: optimism about what survives the eventual correction, caution on GW-only thinking, and watchpoints around ARM’s vertical creep, Qualcomm’s DC push, and supply-chain discipline.

The conversation delves into the competitive landscape of cloud computing, focusing on Nvidia's ambitions and the fragmentation of the market with numerous Neo clouds. Jay Goldberg discusses the implications of this fragmentation for Nvidia and its customers, who are increasingly seeking to develop their own custom silicon.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss Intel's recent earnings report, highlighting a sense of stability in the market compared to previous downturns. They explore the demand for CPUs, particularly in the enterprise sector, and the implications of upcoming product launches. The conversation shifts to Intel's foundry developments, where they express optimism about new manufacturing processes and customer engagement. They also analyze the competitive landscape of AI compute infrastructure, particularly focusing on Amazon's challenges with its Tranium chips and the implications of Anthropic's partnership with Google. Finally, they delve into the future of AI agents, discussing the current limitations and potential advancements needed for these technologies to become viable.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent industry discussion (confusion?) on GPU depreciation.  Jay Goldberg was also at OCP this week and they disucss takeaways from the networking show related to AI compute and AI datacenter.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent partnership between OpenAI and AMD, exploring its implications for the AI compute landscape. They delve into the competitive dynamics between AMD and NVIDIA, OpenAI's ambitions to become a hyperscaler, and the financial challenges associated with massive AI infrastructure investments. The conversation shifts to Intel's advancements showcased during a tour of their Fab 52, highlighting their competitive edge in semiconductor manufacturing. Finally, they touch on Qualcomm's acquisition of Arduino and its potential impact on the IoT sector.TakeawaysOpenAI's partnership with AMD marks a significant shift in AI compute.AMD is positioning itself as a serious player in AI GPUs.OpenAI's ambition to become a hyperscaler raises questions about funding.The demand for AI compute is concentrated among a few major players.Intel's Fab 52 showcases advanced manufacturing capabilities.Intel's 18A process is competitive but needs to prove itself in products.Qualcomm's acquisition of Arduino aims to strengthen its IoT strategy.The AI infrastructure build-out is unprecedented in scale and cost.There is uncertainty about the long-term demand for AI services.The competitive landscape in cloud computing is rapidly evolving.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg delve into the evolving landscape of hyperscalers and Neo clouds, discussing their definitions, the significance of power contracts, and the shift from Bitcoin mining to AI infrastructure. They explore the challenges posed by storage constraints in the age of AI, the implications of OpenAI's new app Sora, and Meta's acquisition of Rivos for custom silicon development. The conversation culminates in a reflection on the importance of semiconductor manufacturing and the future of technology.

In this conversation, Jay Goldberg and Michael Cunningham discuss the evolving landscape of semiconductor recruitment, focusing on macro trends, the impact of AI, and the challenges of reshoring manufacturing. They explore the skills in demand, the dynamics of the job market, and provide valuable advice for both entry-level engineers and senior directors looking to advance their careers. The discussion emphasizes the importance of soft skills, ownership in leadership roles, and the need for companies to adapt to the changing technological landscape.

On this week’s episode of The Circuit, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg break down the surprising new partnership between NVIDIA and Intel, including a $5B investment and plans for co-developed CPU–GPU systems for data centers and PCs. They explore what this means for x86 in AI racks, AMD’s competitive position, and why Intel’s silence on Foundry raises big questions. The conversation also touches on Meta’s new Ray-Ban AR glasses—demo fails and all—and Huawei’s unexpected progress in advanced chipmaking. A packed episode full of strategy, irony, and hot takes on the future of semiconductors.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent Apple iPhone launch event, highlighting the innovations in the iPhone Air and Apple's semiconductor strategy. They delve into Synopsys's disappointing earnings report and the subsequent market reactions, as well as Broadcom's position in the semiconductor landscape. The conversation also covers Nvidia's new CPX system and the implications for the market, concluding with a discussion on the funding of the AI boom and the financial strategies of major players like Oracle and OpenAI.

Ben and Jay unpack why Broadcom’s “fourth customer” (~$10B) custom-ASIC win reset sentiment even after a modest beat/raise, and how that squares with hyperscalers second-sourcing away from NVIDIA in the near term. They frame the true battleground as networking—Ethernet’s ubiquity vs. NVLink’s tight integration—then differentiate GPUs’ performance-per-watt advantages from custom ASIC cost calculus, arguing that “lumpiness” (program outcomes) is not “cyclicality” (inventory swings). They stress TAM realism: it’s easy to total up CapEx, but the ROI numerator (revenue/profit) is still unknowable. Structurally, TSMC remains the default winner, with a plausible Intel Foundry financing path in the wings, while Google looks more likely to “sell capacity” for TPUs than chips. Net: GPUs keep the bulk of spend through 2030 even as select first-party silicon scales, and the market should judge claims against networking choices and workload fit—not headlines.

In this conversation, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent earnings reports of Nvidia and Marvell, focusing on the implications for the AI market and the challenges posed by geopolitical factors, particularly regarding China. They analyze Nvidia's growth projections, the complexities of ASICs, and the competitive landscape for AI servers, particularly highlighting Dell's position in the market. The discussion also touches on the nuances of CapEx spending and the importance of clear communication from companies to investors.

In this conversation, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent government investment in Intel, its implications for the semiconductor industry, and the competitive landscape of Nvidia's new technology. They explore the future of Intel, the challenges it faces in securing customers, and the significance of Nvidia's Spectrum XGS Ethernet announcement. The discussion also touches on the state of the analog devices market and anticipates Nvidia's upcoming earnings call, highlighting key areas of interest and potential impacts on the industry.TakeawaysThe U.S. government now owns 10% of Intel, signaling confidence in the company.The investment is part of a broader strategy to support semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S.Intel's future hinges on securing customers and government support.Nvidia's Spectrum XGS Ethernet allows for distributed GPU clusters across locations.The competitive landscape is shifting, with Nvidia targeting Broadcom and Huawei.Analog devices are seeing mixed signals in the market, particularly in automotive.Robotics is an emerging area for analog devices, but still faces challenges.Nvidia's upcoming earnings call is highly anticipated, with expectations of strong demand.The relationship between the U.S. and China is affecting tech investments and sales.The need for a strong board and expertise in manufacturing is crucial for Intel's success.

In this conversation, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss various topics related to the semiconductor industry, including the implications of new regulations on companies like AMD and Nvidia, the challenges faced by cloud computing providers, the market dynamics affecting Applied Materials, and the potential government involvement in Intel's future. They explore the complexities of profitability, market competition, and the evolving landscape of technology and regulation.TakeawaysNew regulations on semiconductors may be unconstitutional but are unlikely to be challenged.Profitability concerns overshadow the earnings of cloud computing companies.Demand for GPU compute is high, but electricity constraints limit growth.Applied Materials faces uncertainty due to vague guidance and market dynamics.Government involvement in Intel could complicate the free market.The distinction between ownership and governance is crucial in state-owned enterprises.The future of AI and cloud computing is tied to infrastructure and capacity.Investors are skeptical about the viability of Neo cloud models.The semiconductor industry is navigating a complex regulatory environment.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the latest earnings from AMD, highlighting their strong performance amidst market fluctuations and concerns about competition in the AI space. They delve into the growing importance of AI networking solutions and the recent release of OpenAI's open-source models, including GPT-5, which introduces a more collaborative approach to AI interactions. The conversation also touches on the uncertain future of AI and the challenges faced by Intel, concluding with a reflection on the evolving landscape of technology and its implications for the market.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the latest earnings reports from major tech companies, exploring themes of market dynamics, investment in AI, and the implications of CapEx spending. They delve into the concept of whether we are in a bubble, the challenges of monetizing AI, and the competitive landscape among tech giants like Google, Meta, and Amazon. The conversation also touches on the potential disruption from Apple in the search market, the role of Nvidia in AI, and the future of companies like Qualcomm and Arm in a rapidly evolving tech environment.

The conversation explores the implications of a potential TSMC monopoly in the semiconductor industry, discussing the risks it poses to pricing, innovation, and competition. The speakers emphasize the need for strategic decisions among semiconductor companies and the importance of considering commercial solutions to mitigate the risks associated with a monopoly.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent developments in the AI and semiconductor industries, focusing on Nvidia and AMD's approval to sell modified chipsets to China, the political dynamics influencing these decisions, and the competitive landscape with Huawei. They also analyze TSMC's earnings, the need for infrastructure upgrades to support AI agents, and the implications of Synopsys' acquisition of Ansys. The conversation concludes with a look at Marvell's leadership change and its potential impact on the industry.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent developments in the RISC-V ecosystem, including Global Foundries' acquisition of MIPS and the implications for the semiconductor industry. They also delve into Intel's challenges with its manufacturing processes and the shifting landscape of AI, highlighting the potential for both growth and caution in the current market dynamics.

In this conversation, Jay Goldberg and Professor John Metzler discuss the current state and future prospects of the Japanese semiconductor industry, focusing on key players like TSMC and Rapidus. They explore insights from Metzler's recent trips to Japan, the challenges of talent acquisition, and the broader implications for global semiconductor competition. The discussion highlights the unique approaches being taken in Japan, including the integration of AI and photonics, and the importance of a sustainable business model for new ventures in the semiconductor space.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent Marvell custom semiconductor event, the challenges faced in the custom chip business, and the evolving role of hyperscalers in chip design. They explore the future of ASICs versus GPUs, the growth trajectory of the semiconductor industry, and the impact of software on compute needs. The conversation also delves into chip design innovations, particularly the rise of chiplets, and the changing economics of semiconductor manufacturing.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent developments in the tech industry, focusing on Apple's WWDC and AMD's product roadmap. They explore Apple's integration of AI into its operating system and the implications for developers, as well as AMD's performance and its competitive stance against Nvidia. The conversation also highlights the importance of networking in AI infrastructure and the evolving business models in the AI space.

In this episode, Ben and Jay discuss the latest developments in the semiconductor industry, particularly focusing on Broadcom's earnings and the implications of AI on the market. They explore the growth of the semiconductor segment, the challenges in ASIC development, and the innovations in networking with the introduction of Tomahawk 6. The conversation also highlights the increasing importance of storage solutions in AI applications and anticipates upcoming events in the tech world.

In this conversation, Jay Goldberg and Austin Lyons discuss Nvidia's recent earnings report, the future of AI and inference, and the dynamics of the AI market, including the impact of China on Nvidia's revenue. They explore the differences between consumer and enterprise workloads, the role of financing in AI server sales, and the challenges of realizing ROI from AI investments. The discussion also touches on real-world applications of AI in business and the future of AI integration in consumer products.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the major highlights from Computex, including the dominance of AI, NVIDIA's strategic positioning, and the implications of geopolitical factors on the tech industry. They also delve into Google's recent innovations at I/O, the challenges of monetizing AI, and the evolving landscape of consumer AI experiences. The conversation wraps up with insights on edge computing and the competitive dynamics in China's AI market.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the current state of the semiconductor industry, focusing on tariffs, AI budgets, and advancements in technology. They explore the implications of recent tariff discussions, the impact on supply chains, and the ongoing investment in AI infrastructure, particularly in Saudi Arabia. The conversation also highlights the evolution of AI factories and the need for localized infrastructure to meet national security and data sovereignty concerns.

In this episode, Ben and Jay welcome Patrick McGee, author of 'Apple in China', who discusses his extensive research on Apple's relationship with China. The conversation explores how Apple's investments and manufacturing strategies have significantly influenced China's technological landscape, as well as the cultural impact of Apple products in China. Patrick shares insights from his book, detailing the evolution of Apple's supply chain and the pivotal role of Foxconn in Apple's success. In this conversation, Patrick McGee discusses the intricate relationship between Apple and its supply chain, particularly focusing on Foxconn and Chinese manufacturers. He highlights how Apple's business model has influenced the manufacturing landscape in China, the challenges of replicating this model elsewhere, and the critical role of TSMC in Apple's operations. The discussion also touches on the implications of IP transfer and the impact of Tesla in the EV industry, showcasing the broader effects of Apple's strategies on global manufacturing and economics.

In this episode, Ben and Jay discuss the latest earnings reports from Apple and Qualcomm, focusing on the implications of tariffs, supply chain resilience, and the shifting landscape of semiconductor manufacturing. They explore Apple's confidence in its business despite uncertainties, the significant manufacturing shift to India, and Qualcomm's diversification strategy in the IoT and automotive sectors. The conversation highlights the challenges and opportunities both companies face in a rapidly evolving market. In this conversation, Jay Goldberg and Ben discuss the current state of the semiconductor industry, focusing on cost management strategies, Intel's advancements in foundry technology, and the competitive landscape with TSMC. They explore the implications of new technologies like Power Via and the shift towards chiplet architecture. Additionally, they delve into the concept of AI factories and how they represent a new approach to data center infrastructure, transforming it from a cost center to a profit center.

In this episode, Ben and Jay discuss Intel's recent earnings report, the implications of leadership changes, and the market's reaction. They delve into the challenges of workforce reductions, the need for cultural shifts within the company, and the importance of empowering engineers. The conversation also covers Intel's AI strategy, foundry developments, and the impact of global tariffs on the semiconductor industry.

In this episode, Ben and Jay discuss the current state of the semiconductor market, focusing on the impact of tariffs, the upcoming earnings season, and the potential for sector rotation amidst economic uncertainty. They explore how companies are navigating these challenges, particularly in relation to AI demand and capital expenditures, while also considering Nvidia's position in the market. In this conversation, Ben and Jay discuss the implications of tariffs on various sectors, particularly focusing on AI and the analog chip industry. They explore how supply chains may need to adapt to new tariff regulations and the potential impact on consumer electronics prices. The discussion also delves into Intel's organizational changes and the anxiety surrounding potential layoffs, as well as TSMC's earnings and its position in the semiconductor market amidst changing demand dynamics.

In this conversation, Jay Goldberg interviews Amir Panoush, CEO of CEVA, discussing the evolution of the company, its role in the semiconductor industry, and the importance of digital signal processing (DSP) technology. They explore Siva's market segments, customer base, and the company's value proposition compared to competitors like ARM. The discussion also covers the integration of AI at the edge, new customer partnerships, and the emerging satellite market. Amir shares insights on management strategies in an IP-focused company and outlines future directions for CEVA.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg are joined by special guest Michelle Johnston, CEO of Intel products.  They discuss the new culture shift at Intel, how Intel can use this new approach to compete and innovate in AI, how to invigorate x86 and Intel Architecture, and the opportunity for both product and foundry in the chiplet era.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg engage with Simi Sherman and Chaim Eisenberg from Chips and Wafers to explore the intricacies of the semiconductor industry. They discuss the importance of both qualitative and quantitative analysis in understanding market trends, the challenges of data collection, and the unique insights their company provides. The conversation delves into the competitive landscape of ASICs versus GPUs, the significance of tracking various data points, and how this information can be leveraged for predictive analysis in investments. In this conversation, Simi Sherman and Ben Bajarin delve into the intricacies of investment data, emphasizing the importance of using the right data points for informed decision-making. They discuss specific company examples, the predictive power of data, and the evolving landscape of the semiconductor industry, particularly the shift towards disaggregated designs and chiplets. The conversation highlights the gap between investor expectations and company performance, and concludes with insights into how analysts can leverage data to build a clearer picture of future trends.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent GTC event, highlighting its shift from graphics technology to a focus on AI and robotics. They share their emotional responses to the keynote, the crowded atmosphere, and their disillusionment with the lack of new AI demos. The conversation delves into Jensen Huang's defensive stance during the keynote, Nvidia's identity crisis, and the company's significant investments in R&D. They conclude by reflecting on the growing influence of GTC and its importance in the tech industry.

In this conversation, Jay Goldberg and Austin Lyons delve into the emergence of Deep Seek, an AI lab that has gained attention for its innovative models and unique approach to AI development. They discuss the origins of Deep Seek, its self-funded nature, and the implications of its advancements in the context of geopolitical constraints. The conversation highlights the lab's offerings, including its reasoning models and mixture of experts, and explores how Deep Seek has managed to innovate despite hardware limitations. The discussion also touches on the future of AI scaling and the ongoing debate about the effectiveness of simply increasing computational resources. In this conversation, Austin Lyons and Jay Goldberg discuss the advancements in AI, particularly focusing on Deep Seek's contributions to scaling AI models, improving training efficiency, and the implications of these innovations on the market dynamics. They explore how Deep Seek has demonstrated that there are still many avenues for enhancing AI capabilities, despite the prevailing belief that the field has plateaued. The discussion also delves into the technical aspects of training and inference efficiency, the challenges faced by AI labs, and the importance of hardware optimization. Ultimately, they conclude that while Deep Seek is making significant strides, it does not pose a direct threat to established players like OpenAI.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, reflecting on its relevance in the current tech landscape, particularly in the telecom and semiconductor industries. They explore the shift in focus from traditional mobile technologies to AI and data centers, the challenges faced by telecom operators, and the evolving role of software in the industry. The conversation also touches on Qualcomm's positioning, the dynamics of network processors, and humorous observations about the latest innovations, including humanoid robots and AI avatars. Finally, they tease an upcoming discussion about Apple's modem technology and its implications for the market. In this conversation, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent earnings reports of Marvell and Broadcom, analyzing the competitive dynamics in the semiconductor market. They delve into Marvell's challenges with customer relationships and market positioning, contrasting it with Broadcom's strategic advantages. The discussion also touches on the implications of Apple's product updates and the overall market sentiment regarding capital expenditures and technology investments.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss Nvidia's recent earnings report, market reactions, and the implications for the future of AI and the company's stock performance. They analyze the current state of Nvidia's business, including product segmentation, enterprise demand, and geopolitical factors affecting the market. The conversation also touches on the volatility of Nvidia's stock and the behavior of retail investors in the context of AI advancements.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss Apple's recent announcement of their C1 modem and the new iPhone 16E. They explore the implications of Apple's entry into modem technology, the positioning of the iPhone 16E in the market, and the potential impact on Qualcomm. The conversation also delves into the integration of modem technology within Apple's ecosystem and the future of 5G in Apple's products. In this conversation, Jay Goldberg and Ben Bajarin discuss the strategic moves of major tech companies like Apple and Broadcom, the ongoing challenges faced by Intel, and the implications of government intervention in the semiconductor industry. They also delve into the current state of the AI market, particularly focusing on Microsoft and Nvidia, and speculate on future earnings and market dynamics.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg delve into the ongoing debate between ASICs and GPUs in the AI compute landscape, discussing the implications for companies like NVIDIA and AMD. They explore the role of custom silicon in hyperscalers' strategies and the potential for GPUs to regain market share. The conversation then shifts to the often-overlooked world of analog semiconductors, highlighting their significance in various applications, including automotive and robotics. The hosts emphasize the need for a deeper understanding of analog technology as it becomes increasingly relevant in the evolving tech landscape.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent earnings reports of Qualcomm, AMD, and Arm, analyzing the surprising market reactions and investor expectations. They delve into Qualcomm's strong quarter but puzzling stock performance, AMD's ongoing struggle to establish itself in the AI market, and Arm's critical yet underappreciated role in the AI ecosystem. The conversation highlights the shifting dynamics in technology investments and the challenges companies face in meeting heightened investor expectations. In this conversation, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the complexities surrounding Arm's intellectual property (IP) and its market dynamics, the confusion in revenue metrics, and the expectations investors have regarding growth. They delve into the trends in capital expenditures (CapEx) among major tech companies and the dual nature of cloud revenue, distinguishing between traditional cloud services and emerging AI workloads. The discussion also highlights the critical role NVIDIA plays in the AI market and the challenges it faces in meeting demand.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the latest earnings reports from major tech companies, focusing on their strategies related to AI and the semiconductor industry. They analyze Microsoft's approach to AI, Meta's success in monetizing AI, Apple's challenges in the current market, and Intel's uncertain position in the semiconductor landscape. The conversation highlights the ongoing evolution of AI and its implications for these companies' futures. In this conversation, Jay Goldberg and Ben Bajarin discuss Intel's recent earnings report, highlighting mixed results and ongoing challenges within the company. They delve into the implications of the CEO search, investor sentiment, and the strategic direction Intel must take moving forward, particularly in the context of AI and CPU innovation. The discussion emphasizes the need for a clear strategy and the importance of focusing on core competencies to navigate the competitive landscape.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent market reactions to DeepSeek's AI model, its implications for the AI landscape, and the future of AI infrastructure investments. They explore the efficiency of DeepSeek's training methods, the skepticism surrounding AI valuations, and the potential of ambient agents in AI development. The conversation highlights the complexities of AI technology and the uncertainty in predicting its future applications.

In part two of this conversation, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss TSMC's recent quarterly performance, highlighting its strong growth driven by AI and changing dynamics in chip manufacturing. They explore the implications of AI on TSMC's business model, the challenges faced by NVIDIA in data center transitions, and the future of ASICs and custom chips. The discussion also touches on Intel's relationship with TSMC, the impact of edge AI, and ongoing acquisition rumors in the semiconductor industry.

In this episode of The Circuit, hosts Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg welcome Jordan Schneider, founder of China Talk, to discuss the evolving landscape of US-China technology relations, particularly focusing on semiconductor restrictions. Schneider provides insights into the recent regulations imposed by the Biden administration, the motivations behind these changes, and the potential effectiveness of these measures in slowing down China's technological advancements. The conversation also explores the challenges and workarounds that Chinese companies may employ to navigate these restrictions, as well as the implications for the future of AI and semiconductor innovation. In this conversation, the speakers discuss the evolving landscape of AI technology, focusing on the competition between the US and China, the implications of hardware and software advancements, and the regulatory challenges faced by companies like Nvidia. They explore the potential for new technological paradigms and the impact of corporate pushback against AI regulations, while also considering the future dynamics of AI on a global scale.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg reflect on their experiences at CES, discussing the varying levels of AI integration and the prevalence of AI washing. They explore the future of robotics, emphasizing a turning point in humanoid robotics and the potential for AI to enhance these technologies. The conversation shifts to the advancements in AR/VR technologies, highlighting the impact of the Chinese ecosystem on innovation and affordability. Finally, they delve into the semiconductor investment landscape, stressing the importance of technical understanding in evaluating companies within this sector.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss their predictions for 2025, focusing on market trends, investment strategies, and the impact of AI on various sectors. They explore the implications of the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the potential for growth in semiconductor stocks, and the importance of software revenue in AI deployments. The conversation also touches on consumer electronics trends, the future of AR glasses, and the aerospace and military spending landscape. Finally, they speculate on the likelihood of a foldable iPhone release in the near future.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the current state of the semiconductor market as they transition from 2024 to 2025. They analyze Nvidia's growth trajectory, the challenges faced by AMD and Intel, and the performance of other key players like Apple and Broadcom. The conversation also touches on the impact of AI on the semiconductor industry, the role of custom ASICs versus GPUs, and the future of cloud software in relation to hyperscalers like Microsoft and Google. The hosts provide insights into market trends and expectations for the upcoming year, emphasizing the importance of understanding the evolving landscape of technology and investment opportunities.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent Marvell Industry Analyst Day, focusing on the concept of accelerated infrastructure in data centers, the competitive landscape with Broadcom, and the significance of custom HBM in AI silicon. They explore how Marvell is positioning itself as a data center company and the implications of custom solutions in the evolving semiconductor industry. The conversation also touches on Nvidia's dominance and the future of data centers, emphasizing the need for optimization and the potential for a shift back to more affordable solutions. In this conversation, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent developments surrounding Broadcom, particularly its stock surge attributed to optimism in AI. They delve into the company's market position, the significance of data center design, and the distinction between Total Addressable Market (TAM) and Serviceable Addressable Market (SAM). The discussion also covers the critical role of networking in AI, the rise of million-node data centers, and Broadcom's strategy regarding M&A and custom silicon. The conversation highlights the evolving landscape of AI and the competitive dynamics between major players in the industry.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the unexpected retirement of Pat Gelsinger from Intel and its implications for the company's future. They explore the strategic direction Intel may take post-Gelsinger, the challenges of leadership transition, and the importance of product focus versus foundry operations. The conversation delves into the need for a growth strategy in a competitive landscape and the potential paths forward for Intel as it navigates these changes. In this conversation, Jay Goldberg and Ben Bajarin discuss the current state and future of Intel, focusing on its CPU market position, the challenges it faces with its Foundry strategy, and the implications of TSMC's market power. They explore the sentiment surrounding Intel, the role of the board in shaping its future, and the technological optimism tied to upcoming products. The discussion highlights the need for competitive foundries in the semiconductor industry and the potential consequences of TSMC's dominance.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss Qualcomm's recent Analyst Day and NVIDIA's earnings report. They analyze Qualcomm's shift towards becoming a compute-centric company, the challenges in the smartphone market, and the potential growth in automotive and IoT sectors. The conversation then shifts to NVIDIA, where they explore the implications of its recent earnings, the end of its rapid growth phase, and the competitive landscape in inference technology. The hosts emphasize the importance of execution for Qualcomm and the evolving dynamics in the semiconductor industry.

In this enlightening conversation, Ben Bajarin hosts Apple executives Tom Boger and Tim Millet to discuss the significance of Apple Silicon in the company's product ecosystem. They delve into the relentless pursuit of performance per watt, the integration of hardware and software, and Apple's unique approach to AI and on-device intelligence. The discussion also covers how Apple manages to push performance boundaries in a landscape where Moore's Law is slowing down, emphasizing the importance of architecture, design, and technology in their strategy.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss recent earnings reports from Arm and Qualcomm, analyzing market reactions and the implications of ongoing lawsuits. They delve into Qualcomm's diversification strategy, particularly in the automotive sector, and the potential impact of political changes on semiconductor policy. The conversation also touches on Nvidia's strong demand and supply constraints, highlighting the cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry and the challenges ahead.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the latest earnings reports from AMD and Intel, focusing on market expectations, performance, and the challenges faced by both companies. They analyze AMD's struggle to meet high investor expectations in the AI market and Intel's ongoing turnaround efforts under CEO Pat Gelsinger, highlighting the balance between financial prudence and technological leadership. The conversation also touches on the mixed reactions from the market regarding Intel's recent earnings and the implications for its future. In this conversation, Jay Goldberg and Ben Bajarin discuss Intel's recent financial strategies, particularly focusing on their gross margins and the implications of their decisions. They delve into the cultural challenges within Intel that may affect its future, and explore the dynamics of the mobile technology market, including the performance of companies like MediaTek, Corvo, and Qualcomm.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit, highlighting the company's return to custom cores, advancements in AI integration, and innovations in automotive technology. They also delve into the competitive landscape of automotive software, Qualcomm's branding evolution, and the ongoing legal drama with ARM regarding licensing issues. The conversation provides insights into the semiconductor industry and Qualcomm's strategic positioning in the market. In this conversation, Jay Goldberg and Ben Bajarin delve into the complexities of the ongoing contract dispute between ARM and Qualcomm, exploring the broader implications for the tech industry, particularly in terms of intellectual property (IP) litigation. They discuss the necessity for collaboration between major players in the semiconductor space and examine ARM's growth potential in various markets, including data centers and automotive. The conversation also touches on insights from the recent RISC-V Summit, highlighting the current state and future prospects of RISC-V technology in the industry.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent earnings reports from major semiconductor companies, focusing on ASML's disappointing results and TSMC's optimistic outlook. They explore the cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry, the implications of Intel and AMD's collaboration on x86 architecture, and the competitive pressures from ARM. The conversation highlights the complexities of the market and the challenges faced by these companies in navigating demand and supply dynamics. The conversation delves into the dynamics of Intel's marketing strategies, the significance of the Open Compute Platform Conference, and the emerging trend of nuclear energy in powering data centers. The speakers discuss the implications of these developments on the tech industry, particularly in relation to competition with Nvidia and the evolving landscape of energy solutions.

In this episode of The Circuit, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent AMD AI event, focusing on the advancements in CPU architecture, the competitive landscape with NVIDIA, and the importance of vertical integration in AI systems. They explore the role of CPUs in AI workloads, the complexities of total cost of ownership for hyperscalers, and AMD's growth projections in the market. In this conversation, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the dynamics of the AI accelerator market, the performance of AMD's stock in relation to market expectations, the future of inference and compute demands in AI, and the developments in autonomous vehicles. They explore the implications of AI advancements on semiconductor demand, the challenges of scaling autonomous technology, and the evolving landscape of AI capabilities.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin, Jay Goldberg, and Austin Lyons discuss the rapid evolution of AI technology and its implications for hardware and software. They explore the challenges faced by AI accelerators, the role of hyperscalers, and the investment landscape in AI startups. The conversation highlights the disparity between the fast-paced development of AI software and the slower advancements in hardware, particularly in the context of GPUs and dedicated AI accelerators. The speakers also delve into the future of real-time training and inference, emphasizing the need for integrated systems over disaggregated ones.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent announcements from Meta at MetaConnect, particularly focusing on their new AR glasses concept. They compare Meta's approach to Apple's Vision Pro, exploring the implications of custom silicon, product timing, and the importance of developer ecosystems. The conversation also touches on the role of Google in the AR/VR space, the potential for an open ecosystem, and the excitement surrounding future technologies in this rapidly evolving field.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the current state of Intel, focusing on its challenges, board dynamics, and the implications of activist investors. They delve into Intel's foundry strategy, customer relationships, and the significance of the 18A technology. The conversation also touches on Qualcomm's interest in Intel and explores hypothetical merger scenarios, concluding with insights on the future of CPUs in an AI-driven market.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent advancements in AI software, particularly focusing on OpenAI's new model and its implications for silicon architecture. They explore the challenges of inference costs, the need for silicon innovation, and the competitive landscape involving Nvidia and Google. The conversation highlights the rapid evolution of AI technology and the ongoing race to keep up with software demands.

The conversation covers various topics related to Apple's recent product announcements, including the iPhone, wearables, Apple Silicon, and AI features. The hosts discuss the potential impact of the new iPhone lineup on sales volume and upgrades, as well as the significance of TSMC's involvement in supplying processors. They also highlight the design and features of the Apple Watch and AirPods, emphasizing the attention to detail and user experience. The conversation concludes with a discussion on Apple's investment in healthcare and the role of AI as an enabling technology. The conversation discusses the state of AI applications and the need to shift the focus from AI itself to the features it enables. They also touch on Apple's use of AI and its integration with Google and OpenAI. The conversation explores the challenges of rolling out AI features, particularly in China, and the importance of positive word-of-mouth in driving adoption. They highlight the potential of Genmoji to create FOMO and drive interest in new hardware. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the format of Apple keynotes and the possibility of returning to live events.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss NVIDIA's recent earnings and the challenges of managing expectations in the stock market. They touch on the mispronunciation of NVIDIA, the volatility of the stock, and the impact of whisper numbers on investor sentiment. They also discuss the role of NVIDIA's CEO, Jensen Huang, and the difficulty of managing investor relations. The conversation covers topics such as the slowdown in growth, gross margins, and the sustainability of high gross margins in the semiconductor industry. In this conversation, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the reasons why they are not concerned about a bubble popping in the tech industry. They highlight the high demand for NVIDIA's products, the company's superior total cost of ownership (TCO) relative to competitors, and the continued growth of AI and data center infrastructure. They also touch on the potential for NVIDIA to expand its software business. The conversation then shifts to Intel, with the news that the company is exploring strategic options, including spinning off its Foundry division. Ben and Jay discuss the challenges of spinning off Foundry and the potential for a white knight investor to step in and support Intel.Use code TC24 at wwic24.com

This week Ben and Jay are joined by AMD's EVP of Datacenter Solutions Forrest Norrod. AMD's acquisition of ZT Systems is a strategic move to enhance its position in the data center and AI market. ZT Systems is a leading systems design company focused on hyperscalers, with expertise in customized server and rack designs. By integrating ZT's design capabilities with AMD's silicon and software engineering, AMD aims to create better and more optimized AI server solutions. The acquisition also allows AMD to accelerate time-to-market and support their customers in deploying AI systems faster. AMD plans to divest the manufacturing side of ZT Systems and continue to collaborate with OEM and ODM partners.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the tectonic shift happening in the semiconductor industry due to the rise of AI. They highlight the need for substantial improvements in energy-efficient computing performance and the importance of reducing power consumption. The conversation also touches on the role of companies like Applied Materials in driving innovation and advancements in the industry. They discuss Intel's investments in advanced packaging and lithography, as well as the release of their PDK. The episode concludes with a discussion on the breakthrough in high NA EUV technology by Imec.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the current state of the stock market and the semiconductor industry. They explore the factors that may be contributing to the recent fluctuations in stock prices and the challenges faced by the semiconductor market. They also delve into the changing dynamics of data center design and the implications for the growth of AI. Additionally, they touch on the automotive semiconductor market and the delays in product releases. Overall, they provide insights into the trends and challenges in the semiconductor industry.

This episode of The Circuit covers the recent earnings reports of semiconductor companies, including AMD, Arm, Qualcomm, and Intel. The hosts discuss the market sentiment, the strength of the data center infrastructure, and the growth potential of these companies. They highlight the cleverness of Arm's business model and the positive trends in their licensing and royalty revenue. They also analyze Qualcomm's performance, noting the anomaly in the automotive market and the misconception of Qualcomm as a PC play. Overall, the hosts provide insights into the semiconductor industry and the factors influencing the market. In this conversation, Jay Goldberg and Ben Bajarin discuss the recent earnings calls of Qualcomm and Intel. They analyze the key takeaways and discuss the challenges and opportunities faced by both companies. The conversation covers topics such as Qualcomm's diversification strategy, the importance of product competitiveness for Intel, and the need for management to execute effectively. They also highlight the significance of process improvement and the potential impact on future performance. Overall, the conversation provides insights into the current state and future prospects of these two tech giants.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss their observations and insights from their recent trip to China. They cover topics such as the challenges of semiconductors in China, the economic sentiment in the country, the impact of Huawei's comeback, the state of the semiconductor industry in China, the focus on AI and EVs, the impact of US sanctions, and the future of the industry. They also highlight the impressive technology they saw, such as surveillance cameras and manufacturing systems.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent earnings reports of NXP and Silicon Labs, as well as the latest updates from TSMC. They analyze the challenges and opportunities in the semiconductor industry, particularly in the areas of automotive, IoT, and AI. They also explore the pricing dynamics and competitive landscape between TSMC and Intel. Overall, the conversation highlights the importance of strategic vision, execution, and market demand in shaping the success of semiconductor companies.

The conversation explores the question of how to monetize the massive investment in AI infrastructure and hardware. There is a mix of pessimism and optimism regarding the potential returns on this investment. The thesis is that AI is currently being used as a feature to improve existing processes, but there is a lack of consumer use cases that can justify the investment. The conversation also touches on the challenges of increasing power consumption and the need for additional power generation. The potential for new and innovative AI applications is discussed, but there is uncertainty about whether these will be able to generate significant revenue.

In this episode of The Circuit, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg are joined by Scott Best to discuss cryptography. They explore the origins of cryptography, including Scott's personal journey and early experiences with decoding secret messages. They also delve into the practical applications of cryptography in everyday life, such as secure web browsing and firmware updates. Scott explains the concept of key size and how it determines the strength of encryption. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the future of cryptography and the potential impact of quantum computers.

Nvidia briefly became the most valuable company in the world by market cap, surpassing Apple. This milestone highlights Nvidia's dominance in the semiconductor industry and its position as a leading company in AI computing. However, there are concerns about the sustainability of Nvidia's growth and the disconnect between its stock performance and the dynamics of the company itself. The platformization of GPUs is a key strategy for Nvidia, but it may not align with the preferences of hyperscalers who are looking for more diverse solutions. The future of the data center market and the demand for AI capabilities remain uncertain.

Apple announced Apple intelligence, integrating AI in a very Apple way. They are focusing on on-device AI to align with their privacy philosophy. The features are only available on the most recent Apple Silicon iPhone pro and newer models. The implementation of AI is focused on useful feature-centric applications rather than general AI. Apple's infrastructure play with their own data centers and Apple Silicon has strategic implications and could potentially lead to them becoming a cloud service provider for developers. The closed-loop environment of security and privacy is a key advantage for Apple. The integration of client to cloud with a common software layer is a powerful trend. Other companies like Arm are also exploring this approach.

Computex has evolved into an important tech trade show, with a focus on gaming, GPUs, and components for gaming and PCs. The show has seen a shift towards data center components and AI servers, which have become a significant category. AMD and Intel are both making chips for AI PCs, with AMD leading in NPU tops. Qualcomm's Snapdragon is ahead in performance, spooking other vendors. The PC landscape has permanently changed, with more competition for Intel. The evaluation of product truth is crucial, as performance and battery life are key factors. In the data center space, AI servers are gaining attention and have higher content per dollar than general-purpose servers. However, market sizing for AI servers is challenging due to varying estimates and counting methods. The conversation explores the market potential for silicon sales to hyperscalers and tier two/tier three cloud service providers. It discusses the growth of the hyperscaler market and the potential for the tier two/tier three market to also grow. The conversation also touches on the challenges faced by new entrants in the market and the dominance of Nvidia in the AI server market. It explores the role of networking components in AI data centers and the margin opportunities for companies in the AI server market. The conversation concludes with a discussion on Arm's CSS service and its expansion into mobile and client markets.

With Special guests, Austin Lyons and Paul Karazuba! The conversation covers the topic of NPUs (Neural Processing Units) and delves into their architecture, performance, and relevance in the semiconductor industry. The discussion also addresses the use of tops per watt as a metric for NPU performance and the design origins of NPUs, including the use of licensed IP and the evolution from DSPs to NPUs. The conversation delves into the topic of NPUs (Neural Processing Units) and their integration into various devices. The speakers discuss the origins of NPUs, their design philosophy, and the potential impact on consumer devices. They also explore the role of NPUs in edge devices, AI PCs, and the future of consumer use cases for AI. The conversation concludes with predictions about the widespread adoption of NPUs and their potential impact on the market.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent Google I/O event and the introduction of new TPUs and CPUs. They also explore the ARM architecture in the data center and the potential for switching between different ARM CPUs. Additionally, they touch on Qualcomm's launch of Windows on ARM and the significant adoption of Qualcomm SKUs by major OEMs. The conversation covers various topics including the dynamics in the PC space, Nvidia's earnings, and the 10-to-1 stock split. The main takeaways include the strong position of Windows in the PC ecosystem, the growth of Nvidia's data center networking business, and the potential impact of a dedicated inference chip. The conversation also discusses the competition in different parts of Nvidia's stack and the volatility that may come with the stock split.

In this episode of The Circuit, Ben Bajarin interviews Esam Elashmawi, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer of Lattice, about the world of Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). They discuss the basics of FPGAs, their unique capabilities, and their pervasiveness across various applications. They also explore the advantages of FPGAs over Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) and the flexibility they offer in terms of customization and reprogramming. Esam highlights the role of FPGAs in different markets, such as communications, computing, industrial, and automotive, and how Lattice differentiates itself in the FPGA market. They also touch on the challenges of building an FPGA company and the potential of FPGAs in AI applications, both in data centers and at the edge.

In this episode of The Circuit, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg interview Aart de Geus, the executive chair and co-founder of Synopsys, about the semiconductor industry and the evolution of electronic design automation (EDA). They discuss the concept of EDA and how it allows designers to simulate and optimize circuits without physically building them. Aart de Geus highlights the shift from analog to digital design as a major inflection point in the industry. He also explains the role of EDA tools in automating the design process and the importance of functional correctness in chip design. The conversation then delves into the future of chip design, including the use of AI in EDA tools, the rise of chiplets and vertical stacking, and the increasing complexity of system-level design.

In this episode of The Circuit, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the latest developments in the semiconductor industry, focusing on the sectors of data centers, PCs, mobile, automotive, and industrial semiconductors. They analyze the performance of companies like Intel, AMD, Nvidia, Apple, Qualcomm, and NXP, and explore the factors influencing their success or challenges. The conversation highlights the impact of AI on the industry, the dynamics of the Chinese market, the potential for a super cycle in PCs, and the outlook for the automotive and industrial semiconductor sectors.

SummaryIn this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the skyrocketing capex by cloud hyper scalers and its implications. They explore the significant growth in capex spending by companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, and the connection between capex and revenue growth. They also discuss the challenges of monetizing AI investments and the need for clear consumer use cases. The conversation touches on the potential for new innovations in AI wearables, AR glasses, autonomous cars, and robotics. They also consider the deflationary effects on costs and the timeline for the development of AI applications.

Episode SummaryThe recent downturn in semiconductor and AI-related stocks has sparked concerns about a bubble. The volatility in these stocks can be attributed to the unpredictability of retail investors and traders. The market is experiencing a correction, but it does not indicate a slowdown in AI. The hype around AI has been tempered by the realization that progress is slower than expected. The energy constraint is a topic of discussion, but improvements in hardware and software will continue to address this issue. The future of AI depends on the balance between compute power and energy efficiency.

This episode of The Circuit discusses the recent trend of companies developing their own custom CPUs and accelerators for AI workloads. Google, Amazon, and Microsoft have all announced their own custom chips, while Facebook and Marvell are also entering the custom chip market. The conversation also touches on the challenges and trade-offs of custom silicon, the impact on NVIDIA, and the difficulty of accurately sizing the AI market. The hosts highlight the uncertainty surrounding the future of AI outsourcing and the potential shift in the fortunes of the semiconductor and cloud industries.

SummaryIn this conversation, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent Intel webinar on the foundry business and the financial breakout for Intel Foundry Services (IFS). They analyze the financial details, including the higher costs and lower margins than expected, and the potential for improvement in the future. They also discuss the impact of the CHIPS Act and the subsidies received by TSMC for their Arizona foundries. The conversation concludes with a discussion on Intel's progress under CEO Pat Gelsinger and the opportunities and challenges they face in the data center and AI markets.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the competition faced by Nvidia in the semiconductor industry. They explore various competitors, including AMD, Intel, and startups like Grok, Etched, and Cerebras. They also delve into the threat posed by custom silicon and the strategies of hyperscalers like Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and Amazon. Overall, the conversation highlights the challenges and opportunities for Nvidia in maintaining its position as a leader in the market. In this conversation, Jay Goldberg and Ben Bajarin discuss various themes related to Nvidia and the AI market. They explore the growing moat of Nvidia and the dominance of CUDA as a software platform. They also discuss the ease of use and stickiness of CUDA, as well as the uncertainty of Nvidia's software adoption. The conversation delves into the market potential and consumer applications of AI, as well as the slow progression of the AI market. They also touch on the risks of AI factories and inventory cycles, the potential slowdown of performance gains, and the regulatory concerns for Nvidia. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the impact of China's market and US sanctions.

Nvidia's recent keynote highlighted their dominance in the data center and their position as a platform company. They offer a full stack solution and are recognized for their sum of the parts story. While some customers may be concerned about getting locked into Nvidia's ecosystem, many appreciate the simplicity and turnkey nature of their offerings. The importance of inference and the transition to generative AI was also discussed, highlighting the complexity of scaling and the need for compute power. However, there may be room for competition in the inference market, particularly in relation to Nvidia's NVLink technology. The conversation covers various topics related to NVIDIA's keynote, including the need for more compute power, the potential of robotics and 6G, the challenges of implementing 6G, the future of software at NVIDIA, and the uncertainty of NVIDIA's software revenue. The conversation also touches on the future of AI software, the computing S-curve, and the longevity of performance gains. Overall, the conversation highlights the excitement and optimism surrounding NVIDIA's advancements in AI and computing.

In this conversation, Ben Bajarin, Jay Goldberg, and Austin Lyons discuss the semiconductor industry and the role of AI accelerators. They cover topics such as the future of Intel, the spectrum of AI accelerators, the dominance of Nvidia in training, the failure of accelerator startups, and the debate between general-purpose and specialized accelerators. They also explore the issue of GPU bloat and the need for alternative solutions in the accelerated computing space. The conversation explores the challenges of porting software to new architectures, the reluctance to switch from Nvidia, the potential for startups to disrupt the AI hardware market, Grok's approach to inference as a service, the need for purpose-built AI architectures, the struggle of custom chip design, and the sustainability of custom chip efforts.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the thermal problem faced by data centers and other electronic devices. They are joined by Carl Schlachte, the CEO of Ventiva, a company that provides innovative cooling solutions. The conversation covers the origin story of Ventiva, the challenges faced by the company, and the unique technology they offer. They also discuss the traditional cooling technologies in the market and how Ventiva's approach differs. The episode highlights the importance of rethinking design and the potential benefits of Ventiva's solution in various electronic devices. The conversation explores the impact of video communication and the challenges of designing systems for cooling. It delves into the trade-offs between system functionality and thermal management, as well as the market opportunities for thermal management solutions. The discussion highlights the importance of supporting AI in laptops and the thermal challenges faced by laptop manufacturers. It also examines alternative approaches to thermal management and the potential applications in handsets and large format displays. The conversation concludes by emphasizing the advantages of Ventiva's approach and the significance of thermal management in the industry.

SummaryIn this episode of The Circuit, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the infrastructure side of telecom at Mobile World Congress. They highlight the importance of the show for telecom operators and the focus on networking and telecom infrastructure. The conversation covers the current state of 5G deployment and the upcoming transition to 6G. They also discuss the challenges and concerns in upgrading core networks and the potential costs and timing of 6G. The decline of millimeter wave technology and the use of custom silicon in telecom infrastructure are also explored, along with the advantages and disadvantages of custom chipsets. The conversation covers topics such as AI chip infrastructure in the telecom industry, Qualcomm's underwhelming presence at Mobile World Congress, Qualcomm's AI hub and centralized repository for AI models, Qualcomm's initiative to bring 5G to low-cost handsets, the competition between Qualcomm and MediaTek in the AI space, and Apple's update to the MacBook Air and its positioning as an AI platform.TakeawaysMobile World Congress is an important show for telecom operators and focuses on networking and telecom infrastructure.The transition to 5G is currently underway, with 6G expected to be discussed and developed in the coming years.Upgrading core networks and improving network efficiency are ongoing challenges for telecom operators.The decline of millimeter wave technology and the use of custom silicon in telecom infrastructure are notable trends. AI chip infrastructure is not yet a priority in the telecom industry.Qualcomm's presence at Mobile World Congress was underwhelming.Qualcomm's AI hub provides a centralized repository for AI models.Qualcomm's initiative to bring 5G to low-cost handsets may face challenges in competing with MediaTek.The tension between premium and low-cost devices in the smartphone market continues.Apple is positioning the MacBook Air as an AI platform.

SummaryThis episode of The Circuit discusses the recent Intel Foundry event and Nvidia's earnings. The conversation explores Intel's focus on becoming a leading foundry and its bet on advanced packaging. The hosts also discuss concerns about Intel's culture and execution, as well as the response from TSMC. The episode concludes with predictions about the future of the market and the role of Intel in the industry. In this conversation, Jay Goldberg and Ben Bajarin discuss the future of TSMC and Apple, Intel's commitment to Apple and chiplets, the push towards chiplets in PCs, Intel's relationship with TSMC, NVIDIA's clean quarter, retail interest in NVIDIA stock, the investor relations dilemma for NVIDIA, NVIDIA's product cadence and long-term expectations, and the inference market and competition.TakeawaysIntel is positioning itself as a leading foundry for complex systems of chips in the AI era.The success of Intel's foundry strategy will depend on its ability to deliver on technical innovation and overcome cultural challenges.TSMC remains a strong competitor in the market and has credibility in technical innovation.The customer dynamics and relationships with major wafer scale customers will play a crucial role in Intel's success as a foundry.The future of the market will likely involve a shift towards advanced packaging and chiplet designs. TSMC's future success depends on targeting a big volume platform like IFS in 2027.Intel's commitment to Apple may hinder their adoption and advancement of chiplets.PC CPU makers are under pressure to move towards chiplets, which may influence Apple's architecture decisions.NVIDIA's clean quarter and moderate beat and raise had a fairly moderate reaction in the stock market.NVIDIA's stock is heavily influenced by retail investors, which can lead to unpredictable swings.NVIDIA's product cadence and performance improvements, as well as supply chain constraints, are concerns for meeting revenue expectations.NVIDIA's long-term expectations and communication about the total addressable market may create heightened investor expectations.The inference market is still in early days, and competition is increasing.NVIDIA's software ties and workload advantage may give them an edge in the inference market.

SummaryIn this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the puzzle of Intel foundries and the challenges of determining their revenue. They explore historical economics data points and the exit zone for leading-edge fabs. They analyze the revenue and financial projections for Intel Foundry Services (IFS) and the need for external customers. They also discuss the long-term outlook for IFS and potential scenarios for the future, including strategic partnerships and acquisitions. The episode concludes with the understanding that IFS will require a long-term timeframe and significant investment to become a competitive foundry.TakeawaysDetermining the revenue of Intel foundries is a challenging puzzle due to the lack of access to data and cost information.Historical economics data points provide insights into the exit zone for leading-edge fabs and the challenges faced by companies in staying competitive.IFS revenue projections indicate the need for external customers to fund the investment in leading-edge fabs.The long-term outlook for IFS suggests that it will take time and significant investment to become a competitive foundry.Strategic partnerships and acquisitions may play a role in the future of IFS and the semiconductor industry.

SummaryThe conversation discusses Sam Altman's plan to raise $7 trillion for semiconductors and the potential challenges and motivations behind it. It explores the idea of negotiation and leaked stories as part of the process. The conversation also delves into the simultaneous demand for compute in both hardware and software industries and the need for breakthroughs in technology. It highlights the importance of economic efficiency and competitiveness in the semiconductor industry. The conversation concludes by mentioning upcoming events and guests.TakeawaysSam Altman's plan to raise $7 trillion for semiconductors has sparked discussions about the challenges and motivations behind such a massive fundraising effort.Negotiation and leaked stories may be part of the process as companies navigate the complexities of the semiconductor industry.The simultaneous demand for compute in both hardware and software industries is creating constraints and slowing down innovation.Economic efficiency and competitiveness are crucial factors in the semiconductor industry, and companies need to balance supply and demand.The industry may benefit from breakthroughs in technology and the commercialization of new processes and products.

SummaryIn this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the outsized expectations for AI growth and the impact on stock market reactions. They explore the challenges of modeling AI growth and the difficulty of charging more for AI features. They also discuss the potential for AI to accelerate refreshment cycles and the importance of realistic expectations. The conversation highlights the small gains of AI in software and the experimentation stage of AI. They conclude by emphasizing the need to measure expectations and be reasonable in the AI industry.TakeawaysOutsized AI expectations have led to negative stock market reactions, as companies have not met ambitious growth models.Modeling AI growth is challenging due to variables such as product availability and demand.Charging more for AI features is difficult, as customers may not be willing to pay a premium.AI may not accelerate refreshment cycles, as the average consumer may not see significant improvements that warrant more frequent upgrades.The gains from AI are often small and incremental, but still important in improving efficiency and productivity.

SummaryIn this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss Intel's recent earnings call and the challenges the company is facing. They analyze the guidance provided by Intel and the concerns raised by investors. The conversation also delves into Intel's core businesses, including the consumer and data center groups, and the impact of competition from companies like Nvidia. The hosts explore Intel's partnership with UMC to increase trailing edge capacity and the potential for specialized trailing edge processes. They conclude by highlighting the need for Intel to prove itself in the coming quarters and address ongoing challenges.TakeawaysIntel's Q4 earnings call and guidance were a source of concern for investors, leading to a sell-off.The company's core businesses, particularly the data center group, face challenges and increased competition.Intel's partnership with UMC to increase trailing edge capacity signals a focus on specialized processes.The company needs to prove itself in the coming quarters and address ongoing challenges to regain investor confidence.

SummaryIn this conversation, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the latest news and trends in the semiconductor industry, with a focus on TSMC's strong earnings and growth forecast. They explore the importance of AI in TSMC's business and the strong position of NVIDIA in the AI market. They also discuss the challenges of designing AI-first silicon and the need for differentiation in AI accelerators. The conversation touches on the dynamics of leading-edge manufacturing, the transition from financial objectives to innovation in semiconductors, and the significance of Supermicro's pre-announcement. They conclude by emphasizing the importance of delivering on promises and providing predictable guidance in the industry.TakeawaysTSMC's strong earnings and growth forecast indicate a healthy year for the semiconductor industry, driven by demand for AI and leading-edge manufacturing.NVIDIA is well-positioned in the AI market, with strong engagement from AI leaders and a focus on AI-specific processors.The challenges of designing AI-first silicon and the lack of re-architecting for AI in most designs highlight the need for innovation in the industry.The transition from financial objectives to innovation and R&D is crucial for semiconductor companies to stay competitive.The temptation to talk about AI without substance and the importance of delivering on promises and providing predictable guidance are key considerations for companies in the industry.

SummaryIn this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss their experience at CES and the presence of AI in various products. They explore the evolution of massage chairs and the AI wash in the industry. They also analyze the two tracks of AI at CES, with a more muted presence in big vendor booths and a greater focus in Eureka Park. The conversation delves into the role of AI in semiconductor vendors and the importance of on-device AI. They discuss the balance between cloud and edge AI and the outlook for semiconductors in 2024. They also touch on the revival of VR and AR and the potential for exciting developments in the future.TakeawaysCES featured a more muted presence of AI compared to previous years, with a focus on specific use cases rather than generative AI.The massage chair industry has seen advancements in AI sensing and 5D rollers, but there is still an AI wash in the labeling of products.Semiconductor vendors are re-examining their roadmaps to incorporate more on-device AI, recognizing the need for advanced sensor fusion and compute at the edge. The balance between cloud and edge AI is becoming more symbiotic, with a recognition that both are necessary for a comprehensive AI strategy. The outlook for semiconductors in 2024 is mixed, with a cyclically good year expected but uncertainty about significant advancements in consumer-facing AI.Chapters00:00 Introduction and CES Experience01:09 The Fascination with Massage Chairs05:02 The Muted Presence of AI at CES26:06 The Compute Happening at the Edge27:29 The Outlook for Semiconductors in 2024

SummaryIn this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss their hopes and predictions for the semiconductor industry in 2024. They cover topics such as the need for clarity of direction in automotive semis, the potential for partnerships and spin-offs in the industry, the importance of venture funding for semiconductor startups, the need for a more balanced and realistic narrative around AI, and the challenges and tensions between the US and China in the chip industry. They also make some speculative predictions about potential acquisitions and consolidation in the industry.TakeawaysThe automotive semiconductor industry needs more clarity of direction to understand where it is headed.Partnerships and spin-offs could be a productive way for semiconductor companies to work together and fill gaps in their offerings.There is a need for more venture funding for semiconductor startups, as the industry is capital-intensive and often overlooked by investors.The narrative around AI needs to change to avoid overhyping and misunderstanding the technology.Reducing tensions between the US and China in the chip industry would benefit both countries and the global semiconductor ecosystem.

SummaryIn this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss recent semiconductor events, including Marvell's analyst day, AMD's Advancing AI event, and Intel's AI Everywhere event. They analyze the key takeaways from each event, including Marvell's focus on data infrastructure, AMD's new chiplet SOC and AI capabilities, and Intel's architectural advancements in client and data center products. The hosts also discuss the challenges and opportunities in the AI PC market and share their holiday wishes.TakeawaysMarvell is a data infrastructure company with strong product roadmaps and a focus on the data center.AMD's new chiplet SOC, Meteor Lake, represents a significant architectural advancement and could be a game-changer for the company.Intel's AI Everywhere event showcased their advancements in client and data center products, including chiplet-based SOCs and AI integration.The AI PC market presents challenges in terms of consumer adoption and pricing, but has potential for growth in enterprise and cloud applications.

SummaryIn this conversation Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg have a discussion with Rene Haas, President of ARM, provides an overview of the company and its role as the brain that powers electronic devices. He explains ARM's business model of designing CPUs and licensing them to chip manufacturers. Haas discusses the value capture and increasing ARM's share of the value in the market. He highlights the growth drivers for ARM in various industries, including PCs, cloud data centers, networking, automotive, and IoT. Haas also addresses the impact of US sanctions on China and ARM's success in the Chinese market. He concludes by discussing ARM's partnership with Intel Foundry Services and the potential for chiplets.TakeawaysARM is the brain that powers electronic devices and is present in a wide range of products, including cell phones, laptops, automobiles, data centers, and IoT devices.ARM's business model involves designing CPUs and licensing them to chip manufacturers, allowing them to build chips with ARM's designs.To increase its share of the value in the market, ARM is focusing on delivering full solutions, accelerating chip design, and developing new products for growing markets.ARM sees opportunities for growth in industries such as PCs, cloud data centers, networking, automotive, and IoT, driven by trends like AI and the need for more compute power.ARM is navigating US sanctions on China by complying with export control restrictions and focusing on areas where its software ecosystem and partnerships are strong.

The conversation explores the current state of the Japanese semiconductor industry and its history of decline in the 1990s. It discusses the structure of the industry, key players, and recent developments such as the establishment of Rapidus, a consortium aimed at advancing semiconductor fabrication in Japan. The conversation also touches on the visit of Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry to UC Berkeley and the potential for collaboration between the US and Japan in the semiconductor industry. Overall, the discussion highlights the renewed interest and efforts in revitalizing the Japanese semiconductor industry.The Japanese semiconductor industry experienced a decline in the 1990s but is now showing signs of revitalization.Key players in the Japanese semiconductor industry include Tokyo Electron, Renesas, Sony, and Morata.The establishment of Rapidus, a consortium for semiconductor fabrication, demonstrates Japan's commitment to advancing its semiconductor capabilities.Collaboration between the US and Japan in the semiconductor industry is becoming increasingly important.

In this week's episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg chatted about companies pushing the limits of what is possible with technology and breaking new ground with new products and experiences.  They discuss the impacts this has on the semiconductor landscape and why its a necessary, even if awkward, step to progress.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg dive into the recent announcements from Microsoft around their new custom silicon chips. They also discuss MediaTek's ambitions, shared from the MediaTek executive summit last week, where they are doubling down on helping people build custom silicon for the data center.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg analyze Arm's most recent quarterly earnings in this episode.  These also happen to be Arm's first earnings report and investor call as a public company. Ben and Jay discuss the read from the earnings and the investor call and insights learned.

In this episode of our short series in Back to Basics, Jay Goldberg shares the key moments in Qualcomm's story that led to the market position they have today.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss key news bits from Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit, Apple's Scary Fast event where new M3 Apple Silicon was announced, and what it means for the market as a whole and for architecture competition.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg share what they thought were the most interesting and telling takeaways from TSMC's earnings.  Why TSMC can give us insight into semiconductor segment recovery,  and the coming battle brewing with process technology competition.

Ben Bajarin is joined by guest Huiming Bu from IBM Research to discuss the future of the transistor (design) and advanced packaging. They also discuss some of the larger technology challenges facing the semiconductor industry  in the years to come.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the anticipated update to the entity list facing US and China semiconductor relations. They also discuss the relevance of the RISC-V being discussed as potentially being regulated as it relates to China as well.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg welcome guest Steven Woo, a Fellow at Rambus, to discuss the wide world of memory.  The discussion covers how memory differs from logic, the many types of memory and their purpose and function, how to gauge innovation in memory advances, and the key applications driving the need to innovate more in memory.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the state of Intel as interpreted by what they saw and learned from Intel's Innovation Summit - Called Innovation.  Topics:- Intel's products and product roadmap competitiveness - Read on What Public Investors took away- Intel's Foundry Opportunity and Timing

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss a myriad of subjects from recent news in the semi-industry. Main topics:Apple A17 ProArm IPOHuawei Kirin 9000China's Ambitions and the intent of sanctions

On this week's episode of The Circuit, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg are joined by Stacey Higginbotham to discuss the land of IoT. They cover everything from market segments, use cases, the unified software dream, key companies in silicon, and more.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss Nvidia's recent earnings, and the growth prospects for the company going forward.  They discuss a number of key debates surrounding the company and if this is a bubble or a buildout technology cycle as it relates to AI and the demand on compute infrastructure.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the Arm F1 takeaways, challenges, and IPO upside.Show note links:Register Report on Graviton Revenue

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the Intel - Tower Semi deal falling through. They discuss the increasing challenge of global semiconductor M&A.  They also dig into foundry capacity challenges and the economic opportunity for TSMC competitors at the leading edge.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss some of the recent political narratives from different countries around their desire to lessen dependence on certain nations. They discuss how much of this narrative dismisses the deeply intertwined global supply chain that makes up the semiconductor industry.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss where and why more custom silicon is showing up in pockets of the industry.  They also dive into Amazon's overall strategy with custom silicon and sometimes this strategy gets talked about and other custom efforts get no airtime.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg explain some of the nuanced dynamics of the semiconductor industry cyclicality. They outline the challenges in areas like data center spending, PC market doldrums, and softness in smartphones and what that may mean for 2024 if AI is a true computing inflection point.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss Jay's recent article and flesh out a thesis related to AI's impact on different segments of the semiconductor industry.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the semiconductor industry growing to a trillion-dollar industry by 2030, as some predict.  They explore foundry opportunities and challenges, chiplets, and the role of scarce resources like material and energy.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg explore the potential for Arm CPUs in the datacenter and whether they can truly challenge x86's dominance when it comes to datacenter CPU workloads.

Jay Goldberg continues his series of Back to Basics with some history and anecdotes of wireless standards.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss new competitive dynamics emerging in semis thanks to AI. They also highlight a few takeaways from AMDs recent AI and Datacenter day they attended.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss Apple's latest technology product and platform in Apple Vision Pro (AVP). The look at what was learned about the underlying technology, Ben's experience having a demo, and where the competitive implications for others.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg are joined by special guest Calista Redmond, CEO of RISC-V international.  They discuss RISC-V and what makes it unique, as well as emerging applications for RISC-V and how this new platform opens up new opportunities in silicon innovation.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss how Apple's approaches to designing their silicon and explore some of the fundamental reasons Apple silicon is such a significant competitive advantage for Apple.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the ways AI developers can take advantage of on-device processing to help reduce costs on cloud AI, improve accuracy, safety, and privacy.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg explore different ways of valuing semiconductor companies.  Many semiconductor companies, are also software companies, but should that count in an analysis of their moat or value differentiation?

In this episode, we pilot a new series called Back to Basics. Sharing stories and anecdotes around key companies in the semiconductor industry.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss some learnings from Mediatek's analyst day and explore their overall story, narrative, and growth prospects. Can Mediatek offer a new element of competition in new markets?

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the narrative that some assert that the semiconductor industry's growth cycle is over. They discuss important dynamics of the semiconductor industry like cyclicality, pricing leverage, supply constraints, and more that play into how best to measure industry growth and supporting dynamics.

In this episode of the Circuit, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the semiconductors' growth opportunities and market breakdowns in the data center.  The datacenter is one of the most attractive growth revenue opportunities for semiconductors, and Jay and Ben discuss why. Link to Jay's article for relevant reading.  Enterprise Electronics | Digits to Dollars

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the world of sensors and the silicon that powers them. While it may not be the most attractive market, the continued shift from analog to digital requires a world where sensors play critical roles in collecting and monitoring data.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the many ways the semiconductor industry will shape the automotive industry. They also discuss some of the challenges and opportunities for both semi conductor companies and automotive companies to differentiate and compete in this extremely large market.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss a report that Arm is looking to shift their business model in a way that provides greater financial upside for the company.  As a result, Ben and Jay explore the broader nuance of licensing IP as a business model and the opportunities for IP transfer and enablement going forward.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss Nvidia's GTC event, product news, and major highlights. They discuss a range of big picture themes Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang articulated during his keynote. They also outline how several of the announcements represent strategic advantages to Nvidia and keep them well positioned to capitalize on the AI boom we are seeing in the market.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss how semiconductor investors, on the sell and buy side, often think about semiconductor industry stocks and why companies' investor relations strategies struggle to land messages with a broad set of investors.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss silicon highlights from mobile world congress.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the impact the recent advances in foundational AI models and LMMs have on data center infrastructure and silicon.  They also discuss how Nvidia remains best positioned as AI computing demands increase.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the companies they feel are in power positions over the next decade or longer. Ben fleshes out his Silicon Big 5 thesis and Jay shares his top list of semiconductor companies and they debate the differences in their list.

Jay Goldberg and Ben Bajarin discuss macro earnings trends from numerous semiconductor players and what the key takeaways from earnings are in semi-equipment, PC, Smartphone, and Industrial/IoT.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss architecture battles and how competition among x86, Arm, and RISC-V may play out. They examine some of the major players' strategies and industries where each architecture may succeed and debate the trend to shift away from general-purpose silicon to special-purpose designs.

Many countries are working hard to invest in owning more of the semiconductor industry stack. This will be easier and harder for some countries. Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss challenges and opportunities and how regulations may lead to unintended consequences in a world where the semiconductor industry relies on global partnerships.Patrick McGee's column on Apple's tying its future to China.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg look at the challenges a slowing/dying Moore's Law has on foundries and silicon vendors. A key part of the discussion is the role process technology plays vs. packaging innovations in the future of the semiconductor industry.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the main reasons and strategies why technology companies are increasingly making their own silicon.

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg introduce The Circuit and discuss why a dedicated podcast about the business and industry of semiconductors is needed and relevant.