U.S. semiconductor investments are projected to surpass those of China, Taiwan, and South Korea starting in 2027, driven by a surge in AI demand and efforts by the U.S. government to enhance domestic production. A SEMI forecast indicates that global chipmakers are expected to invest nearly $400 billion in advanced equipment, reflecting confidence in expanding chip production capacity.

Substrate, a San Francisco startup co-founded by a protégé of Peter Thiel, has raised over $100 million to develop innovative semiconductor manufacturing technologies aimed at reducing U.S. dependence on foreign suppliers. The company plans to create vertically integrated semiconductor factories using a new laser-based lithography process, but faces skepticism about its ambitious timeline and technical challenges.