Quote of the day by TSMC founder Morris Chang: 'Globalization is almost dead and free trade is almost dead"
The way that technologies are supplied around the world has been fundamentally reshaped
TSMC founder Morris Chang has voiced his opinion on the state of globalization and free trade during the opening of a new advanced chip plant in Arizona. While he doesn't view these concepts as entirely extinct, Chang describes them as "almost dead," indicating they have been significantly altered by contemporary circumstances. The decline in globalization can be attributed to a multitude of factors, including escalating geopolitical tensions, particularly between the US and China, a trend towards domestic manufacturing, and the emergence of regional alliances over universal global ties.
TSMC, which generates approximately 90% of the world's most sophisticated semiconductors and holds up to a 70% share of the global contract chip-making market, was established in an era that is now fading. The backdrop of this shift includes the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered a series of supply chain disruptions, leading to a severe chip shortage from 2020 to 2023.
The crisis, driven by heightened demand for electronics during lockdowns and the erosion of just-in-time logistics, has since subsided but has been replaced by another challenge. This time, it's an AI-driven shortage, stemming from the burgeoning AI sector's demand for high-bandwidth memory, creating bottlenecks in the production of consumer-grade memory like DDR5 RAM and SSD storage.
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