Why the SIA is calling for more political support to keep the US ahead in chips
The industry body, SIA, claims these will strengthen the United States’ global leadership in chip technology and help it lead in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and 5G communications.
The recommendations are included in a report entitled: Winning the future: A blueprint for sustained US leadership in semiconductor technology.
The recommendations are:
1) Invest in research to triple US annual investment across federal agencies from $1.5 billion to $5 billion. The SIA also recommends a doubling of the federal spend in semiconductor-related fields such as materials science, computer science, engineering, and applied mathematics. This would take it from about $20 billion to $40 billion annually.
2) Attract and develop a skilled workforce. The method SIA recommends is to end a cap green cards for STEM graduates. The SIA also wants the US government to increase spending on the provision of STEM education by 50 percent – from $1 billion to $1.5 billion annually – and double the number of US STEM graduates being produced annually within 10 years.
3) Ensure access to global markets and protect intellectual property. The third one is more nebulous and comes down to more free trade and more money to maintain IP security
“The country that leads in semiconductor innovation will also lead the next wave of technology advances, influencing every aspect of the economy and life,” said Sanjay Mehrotra, CEO of Micron Technology and 2019 SIA chair.
John Neuffer, SIA CEO, said: “America’s longstanding leadership in semiconductor technology rests on three pillars: U.S. companies’ pioneering research, unparalleled workforce, and unfettered ability to sell leading-edge products to customers around the world. Congress and the Administration should enact policies that reinforce these pillars and keep America at the head of the class in semiconductor technology.”
Next: eeNews Europe’s take
eeNews Europe’s take: This is one of the usual and periodic hymns of praise sung about the importance of the semiconductor industry. Such peans are offered up by the SIA and other such bodies to remind politicians how important commercial semiconductor activity is to the overall economy.
We have seen plenty such endeavors from the SIA before and by semiconductor professionals in Brussels to the mandarins of the European Commission.
What is prompting this move by the SIA now?
It is notable that the Americas’ chip market is suffering the hardest as the global industry heads into a slow 2019 (see US hurting under global chip market’s February fall). But more significant is likely to be the growing realization that China is snapping at the heels of the established powers and is increasingly self-sufficient and ready to supply both itself and the world with a number of semiconductor types as well as hitting the ground running in emerging technologies. In addition, the SIA may feel the current US administration with its tough trade stance with China could benefit from some additional information from the chip industry!
Related links and articles:
Winning the Future: A Blueprint for Sustained U.S. Leadership in Semiconductor Technology
News articles:
US hurting under global chip market’s February fall
Europe last to know about chip market downturn
US dips in chip market’s fourth quarter flatness
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