To the world at large, technology was synonymous with software. But in 2019, the conversations have changed dramatically. Today, the hardware that runs all software - semiconductors or chips - has become a subject of WhatsApp groups and international politics.
The chip shortage during COVID-19 made governments take notice of this complex supply chain. The US began denying advanced semiconductors to Chinese companies. Worsening China-Taiwan relations further intensified the debate. By 2022, China, the US, India, the EU, and Japan had released plans worth billions of dollars for setting up new semiconductor facilities.