The recent Global Semiconductor Forum hosted by the Chinese American Semiconductor Professionals Association (CASPA) brought together industry leaders, experts, corporate executives, and investors from around the world. Taking place under the theme “Democratizing Artificial Intelligence,” the forum focused on AI-driven technological innovation and its profound effects on the semiconductor supply chain. Participants engaged in discussions covering the opportunities and challenges facing the semiconductor industry in the age of AI, while looking ahead to future technology trends.
As the centerpiece of a new wave of technological revolution, artificial intelligence is disrupting multiple industries, with a particularly significant impact on the semiconductor sector. Dan Armbrust, one of the founders of Silicon Catalyst and a veteran semiconductor investor, highlighted during the forum how AI technology is driving continuous innovation and transformation in the semiconductor industry.
Armbrust emphasized that the rapid development of AI is leading to exponential growth in demand for semiconductors, especially in applications like deep learning, autonomous driving, and smart manufacturing, all of which require more efficient computing capabilities and low-power chip designs. This urgent need for high-performance chips is pushing the entire semiconductor industry to evolve towards higher technological levels, particularly in areas such as chip architecture, material innovations, and packaging techniques, thereby sparking significant research investments.
He stated, “AI not only brings profound impacts on the application level, but the semiconductor industry, as the technological backbone, stands on the front lines of this historical transformation. The advancement of AI machine learning makes the semiconductor industry more complex and essential than ever, presenting us with a new gold rush.” The innovation trend in the industry has shifted from being driven by traditional Moore’s Law to being led by AI applications, a transition that will continue to deeply influence the future directions of technological innovation.
Since its establishment in 1991, CASPA has played a vital role as an influential organization connecting semiconductor professionals of Chinese descent worldwide, facilitating collaboration and supporting industry innovation. The current president, Dr. Xiao Zhibin, reflected on CASPA’s achievements over the past 30 years during the forum and emphasized the importance of global collaboration for the future of the semiconductor industry.
Dr. Xiao remarked, “From the very beginning, CASPA has aimed to be a bridge for semiconductor professionals of Chinese descent around the globe, promoting technological exchange and collaboration. Today, the semiconductor industry is at an unprecedented inflection point, particularly with the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence, making global cooperation in the semiconductor sector more critical than ever. We will continue to uphold this mission, connecting technological strengths globally to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of the AI era.”
Participants also expressed concerns about the innovation bottlenecks facing the semiconductor industry. As Moore’s Law approaches its physical limits, traditional technologies are struggling to support the sustained enhancement of future chip performance. Addressing challenges such as power density, heat dissipation, and energy efficiency has become urgent for the semiconductor sector.
Armbrust noted, “In the next 5 to 10 years, the industry must discover innovative solutions that break existing physical limits, possibly involving the use of new materials and fundamental changes in chip architecture.”
The forum recognized volunteers who have contributed selflessly to CASPA over the years. Several volunteers reflected on their experiences serving CASPA and looked forward to further advancing the development of the semiconductor industry and the tech community. CASPA has attracted numerous volunteers from around the world, who not only contribute their efforts through event planning and technical support but also demonstrate a deep commitment to the CASPA community.
