Tech

How The Global Computer Chip Shortage Happened

Published

7 months ago

January 30, 2024

CNBC

It’s not an overstatement to say that semiconductors power the modern world. They’re not only a key component of nearly every electronic device we buy and use — they also power the factories that make the electronic devices we buy and use. And now, there aren’t enough of them getting made. Here’s how the global semiconductor chip shortage got so bad, and what’s being done to fix it.

A chip shortage that started as consumers stocked up on personal computers and other electronics during the Covid-19 pandemic now threatens to snarl car production around the world.

GM said that it would extend production cuts in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico until the middle of March. They join a long list of major automakers, including Ford, Honda and Fiat Chrysler, which have warned investors or slowed vehicle production because of the chip shortage.

But it’s not just the automotive industry that’s struggling to get enough semiconductors to build their products. AMD and Qualcomm, which sell chips to most of the top electronics firms, have noted the shortage in recent weeks. Sony blamed the chip shortage for why it’s so hard to get a PlayStation 5 game console.

Chips are likely to remain in short supply in coming months as demand remains higher than ever. The Semiconductor Industry Association said in December that global chip sales would grow 8.4% in 2021 from 2020′s total of $433 billion. That’s up from 5.1% growth between 2019 and 2020 — a notable jump, given how large the absolute numbers are.

Semiconductors are in short supply because of strong demand for electronics, shifting business models in the semiconductor world that created a bottleneck among outsourced chip factories, and effects from the U.S. trade war with China that started under former President Trump.

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How The Global Computer Chip Shortage Happened

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Related Topics:chip computer global happened how shortage Tech the

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20 Comments

@FastComponentsEurope

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

We're supplying the Automotive, Telecommunication, Aerospace, Industrial, MedTech and much more sectors with the help of our state of the art lab for QA

Reply
@Fisher-cy9wx

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

Guau

Reply
@Fisher-cy9wx

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

Wow

Reply
@miroslavkelekovic2507

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

Since when the Taiwan is not on China land? Like stating Haway are nor usa land..

Reply
@peterchan3889

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

Very soon China produced SUPER CHEAP chips to bankrupt world chips marker.

Reply
@calvingrondahl1011

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

If we don’t learn the hard way we don’t learn. Two steps forward, one step back.😊

Reply
@michaelwillcutt2619

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

Doesn’t that mean all the boards full of chips I have are worth more money than last year .

Reply
@amgguy4319

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

Republican CEOs shipped all of the manufacturing jobs to China, because they Hate Americans and Love personal profits. Intel, AMD, etc., destroyed by Republicans.

Reply
@JkJK-pb5qm

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

Obviously, it is because of the trouble made by the JB on the supply chain of semiconductor industry. Don't be fooled by JB and MSMs. This is the only thing they are good at-making trouble and then making maximum profit.

Reply
@IvanOoze1990

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

Covid didn't lead to anything, People led to this. PEOPLE.

Reply
@charlesedwards9024

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

Kool

Reply
@NaturalFuture

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

The first step to solving this problem and keep it from happening again: US firms must not let their craving for profits cause them to move labor out of the US. Once they choose to accept the cost of good domestic labor and a corresponding reduction in their profits, US firms will be able to return manufacturing here, resulting in the US being self-sufficient and thus less vulnerable to manipulative dictatorships like China. Other countries should do the same, leaving China, which appears bent on controlling the world, less able to harm countries that don't bend to its will.

Reply
@joelackie1682

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

Solar is awesome! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-4MlXrScyY

Reply
@jamesfiaco4922

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

The most advanced ancient Royal elite super superior ancient civilized nations. Made sure all their loyal subjects were able to live and die to the highest standards of quality that were available during that time. and they can do this without anyone overstepping their boundaries. Because the end result of such a lifestyle. Is constant consisting physical mental financial spiritual progress occurring within each and every moment of life. That Level of care to oneself and others results in a truly positive force that is self perpetuating continuously.

Reply
@jamesfiaco4922

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

Hemp has been proven to be 10 times stronger and 30% lighter than steel far more versatile making the design possibilities practically limitless. If we just made our computer chips with hemp global pollution would be on the decline. Keep in mind hemp makes over 26,000 different products in a earth friendly manner. Sincerely can be used as a power source building material clothing fabric medical aid remedy high source of nutrition hygiene products so forth and so on etc. etc. it's time to move out of that outdated past with inferior poisonous toxic substances chemicals and weak brittle rusting out steel.

Reply
@uttaranghosal5129

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

I dislike this video

Reply
@djdar9036

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

So there's a chip shortage. Now the elitist are meeting and taking about tracking everyone. Where do think all the chips are going 🤔

Reply
@carlsmith5545

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

Chip manufacturing is falling behind in the United States. I don't know why America is so behind in everything it seems. Over the decades the United States has lost so much that there's no longer a such thing as, american made. We lost alot from the great knitting industries to american made steel. And falling behind in american achievements such as alternative figurings to fuel, energy efficiencies, even coming up with ways to cut water and air pollution. The United States of America is even falling behind in transportation. Travel is becoming more and more unreliable in the air, fuel costs are so high you can't even go for a ride with your family to see the country side. The americans can improve so much if they would just stand up and do it. Bullet train technology is something the United States of America should of had decades ago. Taking the fine example of china and Japan who are the leaders of this modern marvels of transportation, followed by many European countries and yet the United States being one of the richest countries on earth isn't even close to this transportation marvel? How sad it is. It seems like they rather walk, pay out money for the high cost of fuel, sit around stranded at airports, or ride the slow and lethargic tour trains called Amtrak. America should be on the world map of all kinds of great achievements. I guess they no longer like to carry around the notability as being…. GREAT. As other countries continue to advance themselves in all manner of achievements, the United States of America continues to fall behind losing the title of being great. America what are you waiting for? Wake up!!!!!!

Reply
@zombiestory6353

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

Companies intentionally offshore their microchip production in order to get cheap labor and now they want money to bring it back that's all you need to know

Reply
@shylajashylaja3829

January 30, 2024 at 1:41 pm

Our "Days of Orders" for our cars has rocketed from a norm of 30 -40 days of orders to well over a hundred. Crazy times.

Reply

Tech

Why It’s So Hard To Build Nuclear Power Plants In The U.S.

Published

4 days ago

September 5, 2024

CNBC

Plant Vogtle, a nuclear power plant in Waynesboro, Ga., is the largest source of clean energy in the U.S. following the addition of two new reactors, according to Georgia Power. The plant’s Unit 4 reactor began commercial operations in April and Unit 3 went online last year. They are the first reactors built from scratch and connected to the grid in over three decades and together can power over a million homes and businesses, according to the utility provider.

But bringing a nuclear power plant to life is difficult and costly. The two new reactors at Plant Vogtle were initially budgeted at $14 billion, but that price tag more than doubled. The project also ran seven years behind schedule.

“We had some challenges, it was an arduous journey, things that we didn’t anticipate,” said Chris Womack, CEO of Southern Company. “From the tsunami in Fukushima to the contractor going bankrupt to Covid. There were a number of things that occurred.

The U.S. has 54 operating nuclear power plants and 94 reactors, making it the world’s largest producer of nuclear power — accounting for 30% of global nuclear electricity, according to the World Nuclear Association.

But reactors in the U.S. are 42 years old on average, and they’re getting older. Replacing them is a complex task.

So why is it so hard to build nuclear reactors in the U.S. and should the new Vogtle reactors be a blueprint or a cautionary tale for the future?

Chapters:
0:00-2:25 Introduction
2:26-6:04 Chapter 1. Plant Vogtle
6:05-9:46 Chapter 2. Falling Behind
9:47 – 12:50 Chapter 3. Small modular reactors

Produced by: Shawn Baldwin
Edited by: Nic Golden Henry
Supervising Producer: Jeniece Pettitt
Reporter: Pippa Stevens
Animation: Christina Locopo
Additional Production: Harriet Taylor, Van Applegate
Additional Footage: Getty Images, NuScale Power, Southern Company

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Why It’s So Hard To Build Nuclear Power Plants In The U.S.

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Tech

How Data Centers Became Hot Real Estate Investments

Published

6 days ago

September 3, 2024

CNBC

The U.S. is home to the majority of the world’s data centers with just under 3,000, compared to the country with the next-closest amount, United Kingdom, at just 360. This concentration has brought up the value of the land where the data centers are built. Prices are soaring as much as ten times the original value in one Vint Hill, Virginia case. So how did this land zoned for data construction get so valuable, and will investors keep pouring money into the infrastructure that supports AI while potentially upsetting nearby residents?

Chapters:
0:00 – Cold Open
1:13 – Where to build
2:37 – Private investments
5:18 – Pushback
7:53 – What’s next

Produced and Edited by: Christian Nunley
Additional Camera by: Katie Tarasov, Andrew Evers
Animation: Emily Rabbideau, Jason Reginato
Supervising Producer: Lindsey Jacobson, Tala Hadavi
Additional Footage: Getty Images
Additional Sources: Loudoun County, Fauquier County, AWS, NBC4 Washington, Data Center Map, CBRE

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How Data Centers Became Hot Real Estate Investments

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Samsung may have uncovered what went wrong with its Note 7 batteries but here’s what it has to worry about next.
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Here’s The Next Problem Facing Samsung | Tech Bet | CNBC

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Tech

How Google, Microsoft And Amazon Are Raiding AI Startups For Talent

Published

1 week ago

September 1, 2024

CNBC

Microsoft, Google and Amazon, along with other tech companies, have been getting creative in how they’re poaching talent from top artificial intelligence startups. Earlier this month, Google inked an unusual deal with Character.ai to hire away its prominent founder, Noam Shazeer, along with more than one-fifth of its workforce while also licensing its technology. It looked like an acquisition, but the deal was structured so that it wasn’t. Google wasn’t the first to take this approach.
In March, Microsoft signed a deal with Inflection that allowed Microsoft to use Inflection’s models and to hire most of the startup’s staff. Amazon followed in June with a faux acquisition of Adept where it hired top talent from the AI startup and licensed its technology.
It’s a playbook that skirts regulators and their crackdown on Big Tech dominance, provides an exit for AI startups struggling to make money, and allows megacaps to pick up the talent needed in the AI arms race.
But while tech giants might think they’re outsmarting antitrust enforcers, they could be playing with fire. CNBC’s Deirdre Bosa has the story.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:50 – Pseudo acquisitions
5:41 – Playing with fire
7:13 – Who’s left holding the bag

Anchor: Deirdre Bosa
Produced by: Laura Batchelor, Jasmine Wu
Edited by: Andrew Evers
Supervising Producer: Jeniece Pettitt
Additional Footage: Character.ai, Getty Images

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How Amazon, Microsoft and Google Are Raiding AI Startups For Talent

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Facebook Will Become ‘Scapegoat’ For Large Tech, Says Pro Jessi Hempel | CNBC

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