Intel recently announced plans to invest $20 billion into a massive new semiconductor fabrication plant in Ohio. This announcement comes as Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said the U.S. urgently needs to increase domestic chip manufacturing capacity. A recent Commerce Department survey revealed that the ongoing chip shortage was in dire straits late last year, with some manufacturers reporting they had less than five days’ supply of chips. While the new Intel plant, predicted to open in 2025, won’t alleviate the ongoing chip shortage, current supply chain issues highlight the need for increased investment in semiconductor manufacturing. Mario Morales, group vice president of IDC’s enabling technologies, semiconductor, storage, and DataSphere research, joins Juliet to discuss the significance of Intel’s plan and provide an update on the chip shortage.
