Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology by Chris Miller Summary Aboard the USS Mustin, sailors were stationed in a dimly lit room, observing an array of screens that displayed data from various sources like aircraft, drones, ships, and satellites, all tracking movements across the Indo-Pacific region. The concern for China's leadership was not so much the U.S. Navy but rather an inconspicuous regulation from the Commerce Department that restricted the export of American technology. This regulation led to Huawei being cut off from purchasing computer chips crafted using U.S. technology, halting its global expansion. Consequently, China is now focusing intensively on developing its own semiconductor technology to escape the United States' dominance in chip technology. As the USS Mustin continued its journey south, numerous factories and assembly lines on both sides of the Strait were busy producing components for the iPhone 12. A significant portion of the semiconductor industry’s revenue is derived from smartphones, and the cost of these phones is largely due to the semiconductors they contain. TSMC’s Fab 18, a highly advanced facility, was engaged in the intricate process of creating minuscule transistor patterns. The semiconductor industry has seen a tremendous increase in transistor production, surpassing all previous records noted by Gordon Moore, who observed that the number of components per chip was doubling each year. Moore's Law highlights a billionfold reduction in computing costs over the past fifty years. This widespread adoption of semiconductors in society is due to new manufacturing techniques. Today, almost every chip produced has some connection to Silicon Valley, either through design or build. In today’s world, where the Internet of Things is prevalent, semiconductors are a fundamental part of any device that requires computing power. U.S. chip companies have developed global supply chains that not only reduce costs but also foster expertise, making Moore's Law achievable. However, the semiconductor supply chain is complex and requires significant investment. Unlike oil, the production of computing power relies heavily on various critical stages in the production process. Any disruption in these stages could jeopardize the global supply of new computing power. Here is a Preview of What You Will Get: ⁃ A Detailed Introduction ⁃ A Comprehensive Chapter by Chapter Summary ⁃ Etc Get a copy of this summary and learn about the book.
