The US Throws $52 Billion at Chips—but Needs to Spend It Wisely

Will Knight | Wired
July 28, 2022

The US needs to not only shore up its manufacturing capacity but also gain an edge in the most advanced techniques, says Jesus del Alamo, a professor at MIT who studies advanced semiconductor designs. “That requires investment in R&D and accelerating the flow of new technologies from the university labs,” he says.

Del Alamo was the lead author of a 2021 white paper that argues government funding should include money for academic research into novel microchip technologies, programs that help universities spin out new chip companies, and resources to encourage training new students. He is involved with a coalition of universities and companies that plans to make specific funding proposals, given the significant funds earmarked for scientific research.

It’s important, Del Alamo says, for chips to remain a focus of the government beyond this funding. “In this game, the winner takes all,” he says. “Whoever comes out with the next most-advanced technology first takes a disproportionate amount of the profits, and that company can then invest a lot of money in R&D to keep on the leading edge.”