AI Giants Driven by EUV Technology: The Race for National Economic Security in the Semiconductor Industry

The US made a grave mistake by not maintaining control of semiconductor technology that is essential for today’s advancements in artificial intelligence. Despite being instrumental in developing this technology, it is now a Dutch firm that holds a monopoly on the process, with Asian manufacturers dominating production. The introduction of extreme ultraviolet lithography machines has been a game-changer in the world of electronics, allowing for chips with significantly increased processing power. This has paved the way for a new era of AI tools that can perform vast amounts of computation quickly and efficiently, accelerating tasks that were once done by humans.

Countries around the world are now competing intensely for control over this technology, as access to EUV technology has become a matter of national economic security for both the US and China. AI platforms such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini rely on this advanced technology, making it crucial for these countries to have access to it. Without control over semiconductor technology, the US risks falling behind in the race to develop the next generation of AI tools. It is imperative that the US makes strategic decisions to ensure it has access to the technology needed to compete in this rapidly evolving field.