其他服務業Business News

One of the most important components in all devices is memory chips. These chips are used to store and access data in smartphones and in computers and servers they train generative AI models. 90% of DRAM (dynamic random access memory) chips are manufactured by three companies: Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron. Micron is headquartered in South Korea, however it is based in Idaho, USA which has made it a target of China’s bans on U.S. technologies. Micro CEO Sanjay Mehrotra claimed that nearly a quarter of Micron’s revenue comes from China, and “about half that revenue is at risk” (Tarasov, 2023). Although most of Micron’s advanced and leading-edge chips are currently made in Japan and Taiwan, the company wants to double down on its U.S. manufacturing. By 2026 Micron aims to start advanced chip production in the U.S. at a $15 billion chip plant in Boise, Idaho. Additionally, over the next 20 years Micron is planning to spend $100 billion to build four 600,000 square foot plants in upstate New York. Making it the biggest chip project in U.S. history. Mehrotra stated that Micron’s goal was to drastically increase the U.S. share of DRAM chip production, which currently sits at 2%.

According to Micron VP Scott Gatzemeier, one of the main goals for Micron is ramping up economies of scale and producing the chips in a way that is both cost effective and meets the market demands. With the help from the federal government, Micron is getting assistance through the CHIPS and Science Act which has “set aside $52.7 billion for companies that manufacture in the U.S.” (Tarasov, 2023). The Act came about as the U.S. share of overall chip manufacturing has decreased from 37% to 13% over the course of the past 30 years. In conjunction with the federal government, states are also offering their own monetary incentives to companies that produce chips. Mehrotra projected that its investments through CHIPS will increase the production rate in the U.S. from its current 2% up to 15%.

As Micron looks to the future, it wants to focus on rapid growth in markets such as smartphones, artificial intelligence, and automotives. The next generation of products include high bandwidth memory, which is used to help AI models like ChatGPT to generate more human-like responses by remembering user preferences and past conversations. To support future operations in the U.S., Micron is already starting their hiring ramp according to Gatzemeier by “investing in university programs to feed the pipeline for future semiconductor engineers” and is even running a Chip Camp for middle schoolers in Boise (Tarasov, 2023). Furthermore, Micron says that it will draw upon its resources from all over the world and bring in its semiconductor knowledge to its new chip plants.

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/23/micron-building-biggest-chip-fab-in-us-history-despite-china-ban.html