Big Technology Podcast The Taiwan Semiconductor Dilemma — With Congressman Ro Khanna
Apr 19, 2023
Congressman Ro Khanna, representing California's 17th district, shares insights from his recent visit to Taiwan, where he engaged with semiconductor leaders. He emphasizes TSMC's critical role in the global economy and discusses the pressing need for U.S. manufacturing independence. Khanna also tackles the impact of geopolitical tensions on technology policy and regulation, including recent challenges facing Big Tech, TikTok, and the banking sector. His perspective highlights the urgency of balancing economic strength with national security.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
TSMC's Origin
- Morris Chang, educated at MIT and Stanford, founded TSMC after being passed over for CEO at Texas Instruments.
- This was due to his Asian heritage and his desire to manufacture in the US, a strategic mistake for the US.
US Chip Challenge
- The US faces a double challenge with chip manufacturing: maintaining a lead in advanced chips and securing the market for less advanced chips.
- While TSMC competes with Intel in advanced chips, China may dominate production of chips used in everyday items.
CHIPS Act and GDP
- Losing access to Taiwanese chips could severely impact the US GDP.
- The CHIPS and Science Act aims to address this by investing $52 billion in domestic semiconductor manufacturing.