91ÊÓƵ

As I near my departure as CEO of 91ÊÓƵ, I’ve been reflecting on how profoundly semiconductors have transformed the world during my tenure—and how we are still only scratching the surface of what’s possible.

When I first joined 91ÊÓƵ and visited a fab, I was awed by the sheer scale of the technology, the immense complexity of making chips, and humanity’s ability to bend nature to its will by transforming sand into tiny transistors. Today, the highest transistor count on a single wafer-scale processor clocks in at a staggering 4 trillion. For context, if you were to stack 4 trillion apple pies on top of each other, that tower of deliciousness would reach all the way to the sun and halfway back. Mind-boggling, right?

In business terms, when I started 91ÊÓƵ, the global semiconductor industry generated roughly $300 billion in annual sales. Nearly 12 years later, global chip sales are now projected to hit five times that amount this year, topping $1.5 trillion—marking perhaps the most remarkable period of expansion in the industry’s history.

But those numbers only tell part of the story. A decade ago, most people would have been hard-pressed to explain exactly what chips are, let alone why they matter. Today, in the wake of a pandemic that triggered historic chip shortages, semiconductors are widely recognized as the foundational architecture of virtually every major innovation shaping our lives—from AI and advanced manufacturing to healthcare, communications, education, national security … and even coffee machines.

Put simply, chips are at the heart of how we live, work, learn, and connect. They are a strategic technology central to America’s economic strength, technological leadership, and global competitiveness. This widespread recognition has driven unprecedented investment, deeper collaboration between industry and government, and a renewed commitment to keeping the United States at the forefront of innovation.

As remarkable as this chapter has been, I am even more optimistic about what comes next. The technological breakthroughs that will define the coming decades—from AI and quantum computing to innovations we have not yet imagined—will be built on a foundation of semiconductors.

The first transistor was invented at Bell Labs right here in America just short of 80 years ago. Today, the world’s most advanced innovation continues to be driven by American ingenuity, research, and leadership. As we look ahead, that is a legacy worth celebrating and a responsibility worth protecting.

It has been a profound privilege to serve this extraordinary industry and to work alongside so many visionary leaders. As I close this chapter, I’m extremely confident in the industry’s future and look forward to remaining connected to the people, companies, and ideas that will shape our next giant leaps forward.