U.S. Department of Commerce
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Sunnyvale, CA as Expected Location for Second CHIPS for America R&D Flagship Facility
A Key Part of the NSTC, this California Facility Will Drive the Future of Semiconductor Innovation and Collaboration
Today, the Department of Commerce and Natcast, the operator of the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), announced Sunnyvale, California as the expected location for the CHIPS for America Design and Collaboration Facility (DCF), an NSTC Facility. The DCF will play an important role in advancing semiconductor design research, workforce development, investment, and collaboration across the entire semiconductor value chain.
As a key part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, CHIPS for America is driven by the growing need to bolster the U.S. semiconductor supply chain, accelerate U.S. leading-edge R&D, and create good quality jobs around the country. The expected facility will bring together NSTC members from across the ecosystem to address some of the most demanding challenges facing the microelectronics industry and the world today, including the need for a skilled workforce and access to secure, cloud-based services for NSTC members.
“The research and development component of the CHIPS and Science Act is fundamental to our long-term national security and ensuring the U.S. remains the most technologically competitive place on earth,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “With this proposed facility, CHIPS for America is providing access to cutting-edge research, tools, and workforce opportunities to communities across the country. Thanks to President Biden and Vice President Harris’s leadership, these new facilities will help secure America’s leadership in global semiconductor technology and manufacturing for decades to come.”
“This designation from the Biden-Harris Administration will secure Sunnyvale as a premier location for semiconductor R&D and workforce development,” said National Economic Advisor Lael Brainard.
Set within the vibrant and diverse semiconductor design ecosystem of Silicon Valley, the Sunnyvale, California based DCF is expected to be a multi-functional facility, serving as a critical location for the operations of Natcast and the NSTC, including:
- Conducting advanced semiconductor research in chip design, electronic design automation (EDA), chip and system architecture, and hardware security
- Hosting programmatic activities, including the NSTC Workforce Center of Excellence, Design Enablement Gateway, and a future Investment Fund
- Convening NSTC members and stakeholders from across the semiconductor ecosystem
- Housing various administration functions
"Through physical and digital assets, this proposed facility will help researchers, educators, and companies from across the country solve the most pressing challenges facing the semiconductor industry. When we bring diverse perspectives together, we’re able to unlock new opportunities for innovation,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology Director Laurie E. Locascio.
“Silicon Valley is a broad, vibrant, and dynamic semiconductor ecosystem,” said Deirdre Hanford, Natcast CEO. “Surrounded by established companies and innovative startups, leading research and academic institutions, investors, and stakeholders from across the semiconductor value chain, the CHIPS for America Design and Collaboration Facility in Sunnyvale, Calif., will encourage and enable NSTC members to work together to address some of the most complex challenges we face as a nation and a world today.”
The expected facility will enable collaboration among industry leaders, academia, investors, and government partners and build on the local and national ecosystem by providing convening space, workforce best practices and initiatives developed through the NSTC Workforce Center of Excellence. It will also provide NSTC members access to valuable physical and digital assets to develop next-generation semiconductor technologies for increasingly demanding end uses, such as AI and 5G.
Along with the CHIPS for America EUV Accelerator and the forthcoming CHIPS for America NSTC Prototyping and National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program (NAPMP) Advanced Packaging Piloting Facility, the proposed DCF will be one of the flagship R&D facilities for CHIPS for America, which are designed to benefit the NSTC community and provide critical technologies for researchers nationwide.
The Department and Natcast expect to announce information at a later date about the process for selecting affiliated technical centers. Learn more about the CHIPS for America R&D facilities here.
Learn more about the NSTC, membership, and how to join, at natcast.org/NSTCmembership.
Read the NSTC Strategic Plan here.
6 days 19 hours ago
Checkout newsBiden-Harris Administration Announces NY CREATES’ Albany NanoTech Complex as the first CHIPS for America R&D Flagship Facility and Planned Site for the estimated $825 Million CHIPS for America EUV Accelerator
October 31, 2024 – Washington, D.C. – Today, the Department of Commerce and Natcast, the operator of the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), announced the expected location for the first CHIPS for America research and development (R&D) flagship facility. The CHIPS for America Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Accelerator, an NSTC facility (EUV Accelerator), is expected to operate within NY CREATES’ Albany NanoTech Complex in Albany, New York, supported by a proposed federal investment of an estimated $825 million. The EUV Accelerator will focus on advancing state of the art EUV technology and the R&D that relies on it.
As a key part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, CHIPS for America is driven by the growing need to bolster the U.S. semiconductor supply chain, accelerate U.S. leading-edge R&D, and create good quality jobs around the country. This proposed facility will bring together NSTC members from across the ecosystem to accelerate semiconductor R&D and innovation by providing NSTC members access to technologies, capabilities, and critical resources.
“With this first proposed flagship facility, CHIPS for America is providing access to cutting-edge research and tools to the NSTC and its launch represents a key milestone in ensuring the United States remains a global leader in innovation and semiconductor research and development,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “The research and development component of the CHIPS and Science Act is fundamental to our long-term national security and ensuring the U.S. remains the most technologically competitive place on earth. Thanks to President Biden and Vice President Harris, we are not just producing the world’s most advanced semiconductors; we are building a resilient ecosystem that will power everything from smartphones to advanced AI, safeguarding U.S. national security and keeping America competitive for decades to come.”
"This $825 million investment from the Biden-Harris Administration will cement Albany's leadership as a world class hub for entrepreneurs, researchers, and engineers in semiconductor innovation and R&D” said National Economic Advisor Lael Brainard.
EUV Lithography is essential for manufacturing smaller, faster, and more efficient microchips. As the semiconductor industry pushes the limits of Moore’s Law, EUV lithography has emerged as a critical technology to enable the high-volume production of transistors beyond 7nm, previously unattainable. As the NSTC develops capabilities and programs, access to EUV lithography R&D is essential to meet its three primary goals 1) extend U.S. technology leadership, 2) reduce the time and cost to prototype, and 3) build and sustain a semiconductor workforce ecosystem.
“With two decades of proven experience fostering effective public-private partnerships and more than $25 billion invested in semiconductor R&D, manufacturing, and workforce development since its founding, NY CREATES is uniquely positioned to support the NSTC’s mission to provide an open environment to accelerate research, reduce time to commercialization, and grow a sustainable semiconductor ecosystem in the U.S.,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology Director Laurie E. Locascio.
“The CHIPS for America EUV Accelerator underscores our commitment to developing and advancing next-generation semiconductor technologies here in the U.S.,” said Deirdre Hanford, Natcast CEO. “Through this collaboration with NY CREATES, Natcast and NSTC members will have access to essential EUV lithography tools and processes to facilitate a wider range of research and accelerate commercialization of the technologies of tomorrow.”
Natcast and NY CREATES, a non-profit advancing semiconductor R&D and workforce development that operates the Albany NanoTech Complex, expect to establish the EUV Accelerator for NSTC members to conduct next-generation semiconductor research and development activities. The EUV Accelerator, which will have initial operations available in 2025, will allow Natcast, NY CREATES, and NSTC members to work collaboratively to conduct research and development activities essential to enabling faster commercialization of innovative semiconductor technology and strengthening the U.S.’s technology leadership. Key capabilities at the EUV Accelerator are expected to include:
- Access to cutting-edge EUV lithography tools and next generation R&D capabilities, including high numerical aperture (NA) EUV systems, with standard NA EUV expected by 2025 and High NA EUV in 2026.
- Convening and spurring collaboration with industry, academic and government partners to advance technological innovation.
- Dedicated NSTC on-site offices to support Natcast and NSTC member researchers.
- Support for programs that provide, foster, and grow a talented workforce.
- Efforts to grow NSTC membership and engagement while fostering an open, collaborative R&D environment with all NSTC facilities.
The CHIPS for America NSTC Prototyping and National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program (NAPMP) Advanced Packaging Piloting Facility, and CHIPS for America Administrative and Design Facility are still forthcoming. The Department and Natcast expect to announce information in the coming months about the process for selecting affiliated technical centers.
Natcast and NY CREATES have signed a nonbinding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and expect the final contract to have an expected term of 10 years. The final contract is subject to due diligence, continued negotiations, and refinement of certain terms. The terms contained in the final contract may differ from the terms of the MOU being announced today. Learn more about the CHIPS for America R&D facilities here.
Learn more about the NSTC, membership, and how to join, at natcast.org/NSTCmembership.
Read the NSTC Strategic Plan here.
1 week ago
Checkout newsCommerce Department and DOE Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Advance Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of AI
The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), as represented by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed earlier this year to collaborate on safety research, testing, and evaluation of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models and systems.
This partnership is a key example of the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government approach to ensuring the safe, secure, and trustworthy development and use of AI. This announcement follows the recent release of the first-ever National Security Memorandum on AI, which designated the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (US AISI), which is housed within NIST, as a key hub of the U.S. government’s AI safety efforts.
“By empowering our teams to work together, this partnership with the Department of Energy will undoubtedly help the U.S. AI Safety Institute and NIST advance the science of AI safety,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Safety is key to continued innovation in AI, and we have no time to waste in working together across government to develop robust research, testing, and evaluations to protect and advance essential national security priorities.”
In addition to facilitating joint research efforts and information sharing, this agreement enables US AISI and NIST to lend their technical capacity and their subject matter expertise to the Department of Energy and its National Laboratories.
“There’s no question that AI is the next frontier for scientific and clean energy breakthroughs, which underscores the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to push forward scientific innovation in a safe and secure manner” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Across the federal government we are committed to advancing AI safety and today’s partnership ensures that Americans can confidently benefit from AI-powered innovation and prosperity for years to come.”
Through this MOU, the DOC and DOE intend to evaluate the impact of AI models on public safety, including risks to critical infrastructure, energy security, and national security. Key focus areas include developing classified evaluations of advanced AI models’ chemical and biological risks, as well as developing and evaluating evaluate privacy enhancing technologies that aim to protect personal and commercial proprietary data. These efforts, combined with DOE’s AI testbeds, will help lay the foundation for a safe and innovative future for AI.
1 week 1 day ago
Checkout newsBiden-Harris Administration Opens $100 million Competition to Accelerate R&D and AI Technologies for Sustainable Semiconductor Materials
Program will increase the research capacity of emerging research institutions and the entire U.S. semiconductor innovation ecosystem
Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for activities that will use cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous experimentation (AE) technologies to support the long-term viability of next-generation semiconductor manufacturing. The CHIPS AI/AE for Rapid, Industry-informed Sustainable Semiconductor Materials and Processes (CARISSMA) funding opportunity will be critical in meeting the industry’s technology, economic, and sustainability goals.
The semiconductor industry is deeply committed to advancing and deploying environmentally sustainable solutions across the full lifecycle of microelectronic components and systems. Through industry-informed, university-based collaborations, this investment will seek to demonstrate that new sustainable semiconductor materials and processes that meet industry needs, can be designed and adopted for industry testing within five years. The investment will also expand the number of universities, researchers, and graduates participating in the U.S. semiconductor R&D ecosystem while helping increase the sustainability of semiconductor manufacturing.
To accomplish this, CHIPS for America anticipates that the total Federal funds available under CARISSMA will be up to approximately $100 million with individual awards ranging from approximately $20 million to $40 million. Expected participants include teams of universities and other research entities with significant experience in artificial intelligence-powered autonomous experimentation (AI/AE); semiconductor industry partners; emerging research institutions; and civil society organizations focused on environmental sustainability or human health and safety.
"The key to protecting the United States’ long-term competitiveness hinges on our technological leadership,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Because of the Biden-Harris Administration’s CHIPS and Science Act, we are harnessing new cutting-edge technologies like AI/AE and creating a pipeline from lab to fab to out-run and out-innovate the rest of the world. This research opportunity will bring industry the tools they need within five years and spur innovation in sustainability for years to come.”
“As President Biden and Vice President Harris say, America must win the competition for the 21st century. Efforts like this one are how we get it done,” said Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Arati Prabhakar. “Thanks to President Biden’s CHIPS and Science Act, we’ll use AI to accelerate the extremely complex research needed to develop sustainable materials for the extremely complex semiconductors of the next generation. This will help manufacturers continue to succeed and thrive here at home.”
AI/AE combines automated synthesis and characterization tools with an AI “planner” to determine the next round of an experimental campaign, vastly accelerating the design of new materials and the acquisition of materials data. This technology has emerged as a game-changing approach to research with wide-ranging applications. In enabling federated research across multiple locations, AI/AE can create opportunities for collaborations across established research universities, emerging research institutions, industry, and national laboratories.
Given the countless applications of AI/AE, it is essential that the United States have enough graduates with expertise in applying this technology to the benefit of the semiconductor industry. Boosting capacity at emerging research institutes will greatly increase the number of undergraduate and graduates participating in semiconductor related R&D. To help support build a strong and ready workforce, applicants to this funding opportunity must show how their projects will develop and expand the number of domestic researchers skilled in AI/AE methods relevant to the semiconductor industry materials and processes.
“AI/AE facilitates virtual collaboration to solve difficult research problems, thereby lowering barriers to participation by emerging research institutions,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology Director Laurie E. Locascio. “This ultimately strengthens our ability to engage a diverse workforce to solve the semiconductor industry’s greatest challenges.”
On November 8, 2024, CHIPS for America will host a webinar to provide general information regarding this NOFO, offer general guidance on preparing applications, and answer questions. You can register here.
On November 15, 2024, the CHIPS Research and Development Office will host a one-day hybrid meeting for potential applicants to this funding opportunity. Registration will open soon. Check the event page for updates.
For more information about CHIPS for America, visit CHIPS.gov.
1 week 1 day ago
Checkout newsSecretary Raimondo Appoints Eleven Prominent Leaders to the FirstNet Authority Board
Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the appointment of eleven public safety, technology, and business leaders to the Board of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) and the selection of a new Board Chair.
The Board now reaches a full complement, with 12 non-permanent members selected by the Department of Commerce and three permanent seats occupied by the U.S. Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. The Board oversees activities to ensure that the FirstNet Authority and AT&T—its commercial partner—develop, build, and operate a nationwide public safety broadband network that will best equip first responders to save lives and protect local communities.
“I am pleased to appoint these experienced and highly qualified members to the FirstNet Authority Board to ensure this program continues to enhance public safety response with a world-class communications network,” said Secretary Raimondo. “They demonstrate a commitment to the mission and vision of FirstNet and to the safety of our communities. Their diverse backgrounds and experiences, working with the FirstNet Authority CEO, will provide leadership for the public safety broadband network.”
Secretary Raimondo selected seven new members to the FirstNet Authority Board for three-year terms:
Michael Adkinson, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. Sheriff, Walton County, Florida and member of the Board of Directors for the National Sheriff’s Association.
Keisha Lance Bottoms, Atlanta, Georgia. Former Mayor of Atlanta; former Senior Advisor to President Joe Biden; and currently the CEO of KRLB, LLC.
Damon Darsey, Ridgeland, Mississippi. Emergency medicine and EMS Physician; Medical Director for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety; former tenured Associate Professor in Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Mississippi; and member of the National Association of State EMS Officials and the National EMS Physicians Association.
Erik Gaull, Cabin John, Maryland. President of the International Association of Emergency Managers Region III; technology expert and consultant specializing in public safety, emergency management, counterterrorism/homeland security, organizational resilience, and enterprise risk management; Reserve Officer of the D.C Metropolitan Police Department; and member of the Cabin John Park, Maryland Volunteer Fire Department.
Jeffrey Norman, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Chief of Police, Milwaukee Police Department; member of the Major City Chiefs; and member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
Rasheid Scarlett, Coral Gables, Florida. Information technology executive and CEO of NetAesthetics.
Trisha Wolford, Annapolis, Maryland. Fire Chief of Anne Arundel County, Maryland; first Vice President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC); and Treasurer for the IAFC’s Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Section Executive Board.
In addition, Secretary Raimondo reappointed four Board members to serve a new three-year term:
Alexandra Fernandez Navarro, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Telecommunications attorney; former commissioner, Puerto Rico Public Service Regulatory Board; former member of the FCC Intergovernmental Advisory Committee; and former member of the NTIA State Broadband Leaders Network.
Sean McDevitt, Braintree, Massachusetts. Partner at Arthur D Little and a member of the TIME (Telecommunications, Internet, Media, and Electronics) and Private Equity branch since 2017.
Warren Mickens, Denver, Colorado. Retired Vice President of CenturyLink Communications and former Vice President of Nokia/Alcatel-Lucent.
Jocelyn Moore, Nyack, New York. Independent director on the board of DraftKings, a publicly traded technology company; OppFi, a publicly traded financial technology company; and Omaze, a private entertainment and media company.
Secretary Raimondo appointed Ms. Keisha Lance Bottoms as Board Chair for a two-year term. “Ms. Bottoms is a visionary leader known for her impactful governance and focus on equity. Her strong stewardship and vision will greatly benefit the Board. I am confident that under her leadership, the new Board will continue to successfully deploy FirstNet across the country and effectively serve our first responders.”
“Congratulations and a warm welcome to Chair Keisha Lance Bottoms and the new and returning FirstNet Board members,” said Alan Davidson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator. “These appointments reflect the diverse viewpoints and needs of FirstNet’s 6.1 million public safety users nationwide.”
“I would also like to extend my gratitude to our outgoing chair, Fire Chief Richard Carrizzo, for his dedicated service to the FirstNet Authority and the public safety community,” Davidson said. “Chief Carrizzo has been an invaluable member of the Board, and his leadership has helped build a strong foundation for the FirstNet Authority. Thanks to him and our other outgoing board members for their dedicated service.”
Background:
The First Responder Network Authority is an independent entity within the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The FirstNet Authority’s mission is to ensure the building, deployment, and operation of the nationwide public safety broadband network that equips first responders to save lives and protect U.S. communities. In March 2017, the Department of Commerce and FirstNet announced a partnership with AT&T to build and operate the first responder network. It is delivering the technologies and infrastructure that public safety relies on for day-to-day operations, disaster response and recovery, and securing of large events.
The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 created the FirstNet Authority, and Congress directed that it be governed by a 15-person Board, with the U.S. Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget named as permanent Board members. Congress charged the Secretary of Commerce with selecting the remaining 12 non-permanent members.
1 week 1 day ago
Checkout newsCommerce Marks One-Year Anniversary of Historic Biden-Harris Administration Executive Order on AI
Leading up to the inaugural convening of the International Network of AI Safety Institutes, Commerce Department highlights implementation of President Biden’s historic AI Executive Order, which tasked the Department with numerous responsibilities to spur the safe development, deployment and adoption of responsible AI.
Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo marked the one-year anniversary of President Biden and Vice President Harris’ historic Executive Order (EO) on the Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Development of AI by reflecting on the progress made by the Commerce Department to implement significant pieces of the landmark EO.
“President Biden instructed me and leaders across the Administration to pull every lever to keep pace with rapid advancements in AI to mitigate the risks so we can harness the benefits. Over the last year, that is precisely what we’ve done at Commerce, building a national AI safety institute, collaborating with leaders in industry, academia, and civil society, and working with partners and allies around the world to write the rules of the road on AI,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “We’ve made tremendous progress over the last year, but we’re clear-eyed on the work that remains. We’re going to continue charging ahead to fulfill the goals of this historic EO to spur the safe development and deployment of AI in our societies.”
Since President Biden signed the AI EO in October 2023, the Department of Commerce has led implementation of significant policy priorities. In the last year, the Department has established, staffed and stood up the U.S. AI Safety Institute (U.S. AISI); created a consortium dedicated to AI safety comprised of approximately 280 members; released new guidance and software to help improve the safety, security and trustworthiness of artificial intelligence systems; signed agreements for formal collaboration on AI safety research, testing, and evaluation with leading AI companies; and completed pre-deployment testing of a new advanced model, among other action items.
Just last week, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the release of the National Security Memorandum (NSM) on AI. The NSM is designed to galvanize federal government adoption of AI to advance the national security mission. Among other key announcements, the NSM designates the U.S. AI Safety Institute, housed within Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), as the center of the whole-of-government approach to advanced AI model testing and evaluation. It empowers the U.S. AISI to collaborate with the national security and intelligence community to ensure we’re working in lock step to drive the safe, secure, and trustworthy development and use of AI.
A White House Fact Sheet underscoring AI accomplishments in the year since the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic EO is available here.
Key Commerce EO Priorities Implemented Include:
- Defense Production Act authorities to compel developers of the most powerful AI systems to report vital information, especially safety test results, to the U.S. government. These companies have notified the Department of Commerce about the results of their red-team safety tests, their plans to train powerful models, and large computing clusters they possess capable of such training. Last month, the Department of Commerce proposed a rule to require the reporting of this information on a quarterly basis.
- Led the way on AI safety testing and evaluations to advance the science of AI safety. The U.S. AISI at the Department of Commerce has begun pre-deployment testing of major new AI models through recently signed agreements with two leading AI developers.
- Developed guidance and tools for managing AI risk. The U.S. AISI and NIST at the Department of Commerce published voluntary frameworks for managing risks related to generative AI and dual-use foundation models, and earlier this month, AISI released a Request for Information on the responsible development and use of AI models for chemical and biological sciences.
- Issued a first-ever National Security Memorandum (NSM) on AI. The NSM directs concrete steps by federal agencies to ensure the United States leads the world’s development of safe, secure and trustworthy AI; to enable agencies to harness cutting-edge AI for national security objectives, while protecting human rights and democratic values; and to advance international consensus and governance on AI. This essential document designates the AI Safety Institute as the center of the whole-of-government approach to advanced AI model testing and will guide rapid and responsible AI adoption by the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community.
- Identified measures—including approaches for labeling content and improving transparency—to reduce the risks posed by AI-generated content. The Department of Commerce submitted to the White House a final report on science-backed standards and techniques for addressing these risks, while NIST has launched a challenge to develop methods for detecting AI-generated content.
- Released a report on the potential benefits, risks, and implications of dual-use foundation models for which the model weights are widely available, including related policy recommendations. The Department of Commerce’s report draws on extensive outreach to experts and stakeholders, including hundreds of public comments submitted on this topic.
- Announced a competition for up to $100 million to support the application of AI-enabled autonomous experimentation to accelerate research into – and delivery of – targeted, industry –relevant, sustainable semiconductor materials and processes.
- Published guidance addressing vital questions at the intersection of AI and intellectual property. To advance innovation the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has released guidance documents addressing the patentability of AI-assisted inventions, on the subject matter eligibility of patent claims involving inventions related to AI technology, and on the use of AI tools in pursuing patent and trademark applications.
- Engaged foreign leaders on strengthening international rules and norms for AI, including at the 2023 UK AI Safety Summit, where Vice President Harris and Secretary Raimondo participated. U.S. AISI Director Elizabeth Kelly later participated in the AI Seoul Summit in May 2024. In the United Kingdom, Vice President Harris and Secretary Raimondo unveiled a series of U.S. initiatives to advance the safe and responsible use of AI, including the establishment of AISI at the Department of Commerce.
- Announced a global network of AI Safety Institutes and other government-backed scientific offices to advance AI safety at a technical level. This network, which will launch in November at the inaugural network convening in San Francisco, will accelerate critical information exchange and drive toward common or compatible safety evaluations and policies.
Developed comprehensive plans for U.S. engagement on global AI standards and AI-related critical infrastructure topics. NIST and DHS, respectively, will report on priority actions taken per these plans in 90 days. Additionally, the United States has launched a global network of AI Safety Institutes and other government-backed scientific offices to advance AI safety at a technical level.
1 week 1 day ago
Checkout newsRemarks by U.S. Commerce Secretary Raimondo at the White House on the Economic Benefits of U.S. Travel and Tourism
Good morning. It is a great pleasure for me to be here with Secretary Blinken, who is my colleague, my friend, and, I think, doing an extraordinary job serving this country all over the world. So, thank you for hosting us this morning.
Of course, everything that the Secretary said is true, but it’s also true that what we’re announcing here today will create a lot of jobs in this country. Travel and tourism isn’t just fun and isn’t just meaningful, as you said; it’s real business. It is real economic activity, sustaining millions of good paying jobs in this country. And as the Secretary said, COVID was a crushing time. It was a crushing time for our economy. It was an especially crushing time for the travel and tourism industry. And it was painful to see how many Americans were put out of work because of COVID.
And so what we are doing today is making it easier to travel to this country, which will be a real shot in the arm for the travel and tourism industry. The facts are today travel and tourism supports nearly 10 million American jobs – 10 million American jobs – and $2.3 trillion in economic activity. Last year, visitation was 66 million people – as the Secretary said, up from 50 million the year before. By next year, we’re projecting that the industry will be fully recovered from COVID, and we’re on track to see 90 million visitors by 2026. That, I want to point out, is a year earlier than our strategic goal. So that is a tremendous amount of progress, that’s a tremendous amount of economic activity, and it’s a tremendous amount of Americans whose jobs will be more secure because of the work that we’re doing.
I’m very proud of my team. I want to thank the team at ITA for enabling this. I’d like to thank those who serve on Commerce’s Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. We – some of the leaders in the travel and tourism industry, we heard from them that visa wait times were a pain point, were an obstacle to this commerce. And that’s why we got together with the State Department to make sure that it will be easier, faster, more streamlined to get your visas and come to the United States.
Tony mentioned also this is going to be a blockbuster decade for sports and sporting events. That’s a huge amount of economic activity. Think of all the economic activity around a World Cup or an Olympics, or a Super Bowl – we were just talking about. So, we want to make it easier for fans to travel here, for sports teams themselves to travel here.
You might not believe this, but I was a rugby player back in the day – (laughter) – a few years ago. So as a former rugby player, I’m particularly excited that the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups are going to be coming to the United States for the first time ever. So, I hope a lot of people will come from around the world to see that. I know I’ll be going. And I just can’t wait.
Final thing I’ll say is this is a moment of great collaboration, right. People are often saying: What is the government doing for me? This is an example of the State Department working with the Commerce Department hand in glove, fixing something, right. Maybe it isn’t glamorous, but the work that our teams did is making a difference in the lives of Americans and improving our economy – by just making it easier, working through the plumbing and the red tape to get it out of the way, to streamline the visa and travel process.
So, it’s exciting. I’m grateful to Secretary Blinken, his leadership. He has a lot on his plate right now – (laughter) – a lot on his plate right now. And this shows you the kind of leader he is, paying attention to the details to make this operation work better for the American people. So, thank you.
Watch remarks by Secretary Gina Raimondo and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken
1 week 2 days ago
Checkout newsBiden-Harris Administration Announces Preliminary Terms with Hemlock Semiconductor to Significantly Expand U.S. Production Capacity of Semiconductor-Grade Polysilicon
Building on HSC’s Decades-Long Presence in Michigan, Proposed CHIPS Investment Would Help Strengthen Supply Chain Resilience and Create Over 1,000 Manufacturing and Construction Jobs
Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce and Hemlock Semiconductor (HSC) have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide up to $325 million in proposed direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act to solidify U.S. leadership in semiconductor-grade polysilicon production. President Biden and Vice President Harris signed the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act to usher in a new era of semiconductor manufacturing in the United States, bringing with it a revitalized domestic supply chain, good-paying jobs, and investments in the industries of the future. The proposed funding would support the construction of a new manufacturing facility on HSC’s existing campus in Hemlock, Michigan, dedicated to the production and purification of hyper-pure semiconductor-grade polysilicon. The proposed project is estimated to create nearly 180 manufacturing jobs and over 1,000 construction jobs over time.
“Polysilicon is the bedrock of semiconductors, and it’s important we have a reliable source of this material to manufacture the chips that help support our economic and national security,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Because of the Biden-Harris Administration’s CHIPS and Science Act, we are proposing to invest up and down the semiconductor supply chain and support domestic materials suppliers, like HSC, that are helping drive America’s semiconductor manufacturing resurgence and technological leadership – and creating quality jobs all over the country in the process.”
Founded in 1961, HSC is the only U.S.-based manufacturer of hyper-pure polysilicon and is one of just five companies in the world producing polysilicon to the purity level needed to serve the leading-edge semiconductor market. Polysilicon is the foundational material for microprocessors, artificial intelligence chips, memory, and power devices. In fact, polysilicon is the physical substance that gives chips their semiconductor properties. With this proposed CHIPS investment, HSC would increase its production capacity of hyper-pure semiconductor-grade polysilicon to serve leading-edge chip applications, in addition to the broader semiconductor ecosystem, and bolster U.S. national, economic, and energy security – areas HSC has supported for decades. This proposed funding would be the first significant investment in HSC’s semiconductor capacity in more than two decades.
“President Biden and Vice President Harris are committed to Michigan’s leadership in innovation and manufacturing,” said National Economic Advisor Lael Brainard. “Today’s announcement with HSC establishes a critical capability in the supply chain for semiconductors, solar, and AI here in America.”
“Polysilicon is vital to the semiconductor research and development that will drive America’s technological future and leadership,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology Director Laurie E. Locascio. “Today’s proposed investment with HSC would be a meaningful step towards strengthening our domestic materials manufacturers who can in turn bolster America’s entire semiconductor industry.”
The proposed direct funding includes $5 million to support the development of the company’s production and construction workforce. Building on its decades-long presence in Michigan to build a skilled and robust local workforce, HSC has partnered with Delta College and Saginaw Career Complex to support and create programs that connect the local community to semiconductor training and employment opportunities. On the child care front, HSC is also one of 139 employers in Michigan to participate in the Michigan Tri-Share initiative—a child care cost-sharing program where employees, employers, and the state of Michigan each pay a third of the cost of care for eligible individuals. In addition, HSC has made a commitment to work collaboratively with community and strategic partners to create new child care seats, expand affordability for their workers, and strengthen the local child care ecosystem.
“HSC is proud to be a manufacturing powerhouse for two vital industries of the future—semiconductor and solar. Bolstered by the CHIPS Act, we are planning for a once-in-a-generation investment in advanced technologies to continue serving as a top polysilicon supplier to the leading-edge semiconductor market,” said HSC Chairman and CEO AB Ghosh. “Our customers want high quality and sustainably made polysilicon. This proposed investment demonstrates that the Biden-Harris Administration, Governor Whitmer and our Michigan congressional champions understand HSC’s unique ability to meet those demands and our crucial role in strengthening American interests. As the United States works to reshore critical supply chains, we hope to make additional investments.”
HSC is also known for its commitment to sustainability. Recently, HSC has directly collaborated with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Council on Climate Solutions to help guide Michigan into a low-carbon future. As a provider of ultra low-carbon polysilicon to the semiconductor and solar industries, HSC continues to accelerate reductions in emissions and greenhouse gasses across the semiconductor and solar supply chains.
As explained in its first Notice of Funding Opportunity, the Department of Commerce may offer applicants a PMT on a non-binding basis after satisfactory completion of the merit review of a full application. The PMT outlines key terms for a potential CHIPS incentives award, including the amount and form of the award. The award amounts are subject to due diligence and negotiation of award documents and are conditional on the achievement of certain milestones. After a PMT is signed, the Department of Commerce begins a comprehensive due diligence process on the proposed projects and continues negotiating or refining certain terms with the applicant. The terms contained in any final award documents may differ from the terms of the PMT being announced today.
About CHIPS for America
CHIPS for America has allocated over $36 billion in proposed funding across 20 states and proposed to invest billions more in research and innovation, which is expected to create over 125,000 jobs. Since the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration, semiconductor and electronics companies have announced over $400 billion in private investments, catalyzed in large part by public investment. CHIPS for America is part of President Biden and Vice President Harris’s economic plan to invest in America, stimulate private sector investment, create good-paying jobs, make more in the United States, and revitalize communities left behind. CHIPS for America includes the CHIPS Program Office, responsible for manufacturing incentives, and the CHIPS Research and Development Office, responsible for R&D programs, that both sit within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) at the Department of Commerce. Visit https://www.chips.gov to learn more.
2 weeks 3 days ago
Checkout newsBiden-Harris Administration Opens Funding Competition for Up to $1.6 Billion to Accelerate U.S. Semiconductor Advanced Packaging Technologies
Program will drive U.S. leadership in semiconductors as well as provide the critical technology and skilled workforce needed for U.S. semiconductor packaging
Today, the Biden-Harris Administration issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) funded by the CHIPS and Science Act to enable the United States semiconductor industry to adopt innovative new advanced packaging flows for semiconductor technologies. This investment comes as part of the President’s overarching Investing in America agenda, which is increasing American competitiveness and boosting manufacturing in industries of the future.
Semiconductor packaging allows multiple components to be brought together as a single electronic device. Advanced packaging brings those components together in novel ways that improves performance of chips while reducing cost and power consumption. CHIPS for America anticipates making available up to approximately $1.6 billion for funding multiple awards across five research and development (R&D) areas, with the potential for follow-on funding for prototyping activities. This funding opportunity furthers the National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program’s (NAPMP) mission to establish a vibrant, self-sustaining, and profitable, domestic advanced packaging industry in the United States.
“Securing domestic packaging capabilities is a key part of our mission to expand domestic semiconductor manufacturing. The Biden-Harris Administration’s investments in the NAPMP, including the advanced packaging piloting facility, expected to be announced later this year, will bring innovative and new technologies directly to American manufacturers and consumers - helping achieve the economic and national security goals of the CHIPS and Science Act,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.
Investing in R&D has never been more important to drive advances in semiconductor technology and establish leading-edge domestic capacity for semiconductor advanced packaging. Emerging artificial intelligence (AI)-driven applications are pushing the boundaries of current technologies like high performance computing and low power electronics, requiring leap-ahead advances in microelectronics capabilities, especially advanced packaging. Solving technical challenges in advanced packaging will help U.S. manufacturers compete globally.
“This ambitious funding opportunity is designed to fill key technology gaps in advanced packaging to ensure U.S. leadership in the global semiconductor ecosystem,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Director Laurie E. Locascio. “CHIPS for America is delivering on its mission to create a domestic packaging industry where advanced node chips manufactured in the U.S. and abroad can be packaged within the United States.”
“Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’ leadership, we have moved out to bring leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing back to the United States,” said Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Arati Prabhakar. “CHIPS R&D is the next step to create fresh opportunities for semiconductor manufacturing and jobs here at home. Investments like this one in innovative advanced packaging R&D will help American companies create the transformative pathways that we need to win the future.”
This funding opportunity spans five R&D areas to address key challenges and technology gaps in advanced packaging detailed in the NAPMP Vision Paper:
- Equipment, Tools, Processes, and Process Integration
- Power Delivery and Thermal Management
- Connector Technology, Including Photonics and Radio Frequency (RF)
- Chiplets Ecosystem
- Co-design/Electronic Design Automation (EDA)
This multilayered approach targets R&D efforts that are complementary to one another, and will ultimately translate into results that can be integrated collectively and seamlessly into existing advanced packaging manufacturing processes for semiconductors. Expected outcomes from R&D efforts include new prototypes and innovative advanced packaging flows suitable for adoption by the U.S. semiconductor industry.
CHIPS for America anticipates making available up to approximately $1.6 billion in funding across multiple awards of varying size and scope. Anticipated amounts will vary by R&D area and range from approximately $10 million to approximately $150 million in Federal funds per award, with awards being made over a five-year period of performance. Additionally, CHIPS for America anticipates reserving up to $50 million to support awardees’ future prototyping activities, to be conducted at the anticipated National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) Prototyping and NAPMP Advanced Packaging Piloting Facility.
On October 22, 2024, the CHIPS Research and Development Office will host a one-day meeting for potential applicants to this funding opportunity, followed by on-demand webinars explaining each research and development area. Registration for in-person attendance will close on October 21, 2024, at 9:00am EDT or when capacity has been reached. Registration for virtual attendance will close on October 21, 2024, at 5:30pm EDT. You can register here.
For more information about the CHIPS NAPMP program, visit CHIPS.gov.
2 weeks 6 days ago
Checkout newsRemarks by U.S. Commerce Secretary Raimondo at the ChIPs Network Hall of Fame
Thank you to the ChIPs Network for this honor. I’m so proud to share this recognition with Under Secretary Vidal, who has been relentless in her work to encourage and protect more innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurism from everyone, especially women.
Women entrepreneurs, innovators, and small business owners power America’s economy and are a crucial driver of employment and prosperity across our communities. As the Secretary of Commerce, I wake up every day thinking about how I can make the United States more competitive. If we want to out-build, out-innovate, and out-compete the rest of the world, we have to invest in everyone’s success – including women. If we don’t tap into that full potential of our workers and creators and we’ll fall behind.
That’s why the work you do at the ChIPs Network is so important. You’re helping us to empower the next generation of women with the tools necessary to realize their own success, put more cracks in the glass ceiling, and drive US competitiveness.
At Commerce, inclusivity is baked into all our hallmark initiatives, because I fundamentally believe that homogeneity is the enemy of innovation. The Tech Hubs program makes transformational investments in regions across the country with the potential to be global leaders in advanced technology. We are making big bets on communities – and ensuring that potentially overlooked entrepreneurs get the tools they need to start and scale their businesses.
The CHIPS for America Program is fueling a resurgence in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, spurring economic growth in communities across the country and creating hundreds of thousands of good-paying, high-quality jobs.
At the same time, skilled workers have never been in higher demand. We need to tap a much broader STEM workforce – in construction, engineering, computer science, and more. That’s why I established a workforce agenda focused on preparing our workers with the skills necessary to compete in a 21st-century economy. Since the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration, the Department has dedicated more than $1.6 billion and counting to workforce investment.
By prioritizing these kinds of principles in our innovation investments, and building partnerships between community organizations, businesses, and the government, we’re going to tap into the limitless potential of girls and young women. To Under Secretary Vidal: thank you for being an incredible partner at the Commerce Department. And to the ChIPs Network: thank you for this honor and for the work you do to uplift women in technology, law, and policy. Thank you.
3 weeks ago
Checkout newsBiden-Harris Administration Announces Preliminary Terms with Infinera to Support Development of Semiconductor Technology Important for Communications and National Security
Proposed CHIPS Funding Would Support Construction of Fab and Advanced Test and Packaging Facility and Create up to 1,700 Jobs in Pennsylvania and California
Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that the Department of Commerce and Infinera have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide up to $93 million in proposed direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act. Through this bipartisan legislation, President Biden and Vice President Harris are revitalizing America’s semiconductor manufacturing industry while strengthening domestic supply chains, creating good-paying jobs, and helping to secure America’s technological leadership on the world stage. The proposed CHIPS funding would support the construction of a new fab in San Jose, California, and a new advanced test and packaging facility in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The proposed projects would be expected to increase Infinera’s existing domestic manufacturing capacity by an estimated factor of 10 and would create up to approximately 500 manufacturing jobs and 1,200 construction jobs.
“From artificial intelligence to electric vehicles to telecommunications infrastructure, 21st century technologies all rely on optical semiconductors like the ones manufactured by Infinera,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “The Biden-Harris Administration is taking meaningful steps towards achieving the economic and national security goals of the CHIPS and Science Act with proposed investments like this one, which will help us secure semiconductor manufacturing projects and create high-tech jobs across the country.”
Infinera is a vertically integrated semiconductor and telecommunications equipment manufacturer that has operated its U.S. fabrication and advanced test and packaging facilities for over 20 years. As the United States becomes more reliant on larger amounts of data driving increased energy usage, Infinera’s indium phosphide-based photonic integrated circuits (InP PICs) are increasingly important, using light to transfer information with greater energy efficiency. The PICs and optical modules are key components in optical network communications. These components enable the fast and reliable transfer of large amounts of data in communications, spanning short- to long-distance broadband networks; between AI and machine-learning clusters inside the data center; and between data centers.
“Thanks to President Biden’s CHIPS and Science Act and his Investing in America agenda, we are onshoring state-of-the-art semiconductor manufacturing and investing in job creation across the country,” said Natalie Quillian, White House Deputy Chief of Staff. “Today’s announcement demonstrates how CHIPS is directly supporting critical sectors like artificial intelligence and telecommunications, while creating jobs and economic opportunity in Bethlehem, PA and San Jose, CA.”
“The Biden-Harris Administration continues to deliver on making proposed investments up and down the semiconductor supply chain and across the United States,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology Director Laurie Locascio. “As a result of this proposed investment in California and Pennsylvania, the United States would have an increased supply of a technology that is an important component of advanced and secure communications, with up to approximately 1,700 new jobs.”
Furthermore, as a leading U.S.-based manufacturer of these chips, Infinera’s capabilities are important for America’s economic and national security. The projects would allow Infinera to increase the domestic fabrication and advanced test and packaging of InP PICs for the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, law enforcement, and national security agencies for secure communications and emerging technologies such as quantum technology, sensing, and LiDAR.
With this proposed CHIPS funding, Infinera would be able to expand its capacities in two locations:
- San Jose, California: Construct a new, modernized fab and foundry with over 40,000 square feet of cleanroom space to increase its InP PIC manufacturing to meet future capacity and capability demands. With this construction, Infinera is estimated to increase its production capacity by a factor of 10.
- Bethlehem, Pennsylvania: Construct a new, state-of-the-art advanced test and packaging facility focused on meeting the increasing demand for InP PICs. As one of the only advanced test and packaging facilities dedicated to packaging InP PICs in the United States, this project would also help bolster the domestic and global packaging supply chains while keeping a domestic packaging base for Infinera’s defense and intelligence customers and the commercial and AI sectors. Additionally, this facility would include dedicated R&D space focused on newer optical packaging technologies, such as 2.5D and 3D packaging and co-packaged optics.
“We are grateful for the bipartisan efforts under the CHIPS and Science Act to increase semiconductor fabrication and packaging in the U.S. and protect our national and economic security,” said Infinera CEO David Heard. “The proposed CHIPS funding will enable us to better secure our supply chain and compete more effectively with foreign adversary nations. Our unique photonic semiconductors address the increased demand for bandwidth from consumers while opening new markets inside the data center driven by the explosive growth in AI workloads.”
In California, Infinera has signed a PLA with Nor Cal Carpenters Union (NCCU). Additionally, for trades not covered by NCCU, Infinera’s general contractor, Vulcan Construction, has agreed to hire from a contractor base consisting of 100% labor union-signatory contractors affiliated with the building trades. In Pennsylvania, Infinera plans to utilize a PLA and partner with the Lehigh Valley Building Trades for the construction of its new advanced test and packaging facility.
To recruit, train, and develop facility workforces, Infinera has partnered with the SEMI Foundation on its efforts to build a diverse and skilled community of workers. Infinera is a founding member company of the SEMI Career and Apprenticeship Network (SCAN) program, and an active participant in their Semiconductor and Nanotechnology Apprenticeship Pioneers (SNAP) program, one of the first Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs in California. Other partners in this program include Foothill College (part of the Foothill-DeAnza Community College District), Mission College, the work2future and NOVAWorks workforce boards, and the National Institute for Industry and Career Advancement (NIICA). Infinera plans to extend RA programs in Pennsylvania and increase access for economically disadvantaged individuals who want to gain experience in the semiconductor industry and benefit from these inclusive training opportunities.
Infinera offers a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA) to enable its employees to set aside up to $5k a year pre-tax money to use on qualified dependent care expenses. In response to the CHIPS Act, Infinera is also partnering with Care.com to offer company-paid subscriptions to all U.S. employees. Additionally, in California, Infinera’s PLA partner, NCCU, recently implemented a parental leave benefit for mothers, and is offering a childcare assistance program via the State Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeship (ERiCA) Grant received from the California Department of Industrial Relations. The goal of the ERiCA Grant is to support women, non-binary, and underserved communities interested in a rewarding career in the building and construction industry. The grant allots apprentices up to $10k and pre-apprentices up to $5k, per year, respectively.
Infinera is committed to achieving 100% renewable energy by 2030 at all U.S. locations and prioritizes sustainable water management in their semiconductor production. The company utilizes on-site treatment systems to ensure responsible water discharge and processes that are optimized for water efficiency, uses water-saving technologies, and participates in recycled water programs for irrigation. Through these water management processes and other conservation measures, Infinera achieved a 15% reduction in water consumption. Additionally, Infinera’s current operations in San Jose are 95% carbon free, which is expected to continue with the expansion of the Fab.
The company has indicated that it plans to claim the Department of the Treasury’s Investment Tax Credit, which is expected to be up to 25% of qualified capital expenditures.
As explained in its first Notice of Funding Opportunity, the Department of Commerce may offer applicants a PMT on a non-binding basis after satisfactory completion of the merit review of a full application. The PMT outlines key terms for a potential CHIPS incentives award, including the amount and form of the award. The award amounts are subject to due diligence and negotiation of award documents and are conditional on the achievement of certain milestones. After a PMT is signed, the Department of Commerce begins a comprehensive due diligence process on the proposed projects and continues negotiating or refining certain terms with the applicant. The terms contained in any final award documents may differ from the terms of the PMT being announced today.
About CHIPS for America
CHIPS for America has allocated over $36 billion in proposed funding across 19 states and proposed to invest billions more in research and innovation, which is expected to create over 125,000 jobs. Since the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration, semiconductor and electronics companies have announced over $400 billion in private investments, catalyzed in large part by public investment. CHIPS for America is part of President Biden and Vice President Harris’s economic plan to invest in America, stimulate private sector investment, create good-paying jobs, make more in the United States, and revitalize communities left behind. CHIPS for America includes the CHIPS Program Office, responsible for manufacturing incentives, and the CHIPS Research and Development Office, responsible for R&D programs, that both sit within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) at the Department of Commerce. Visit chips.gov to learn more.
3 weeks ago
Checkout newsBiden-Harris Administration Announces Preliminary Terms with Wolfspeed to Solidify U.S. Technological Leadership in Silicon Carbide Manufacturing
Proposed CHIPS Investment of up to $750 Million Would Support Construction of World’s Largest Silicon Carbide 200mm Ecosystem and Create Over 5,000 Jobs in North Carolina and New York
Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce and Wolfspeed, Inc. have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide up to $750 million in proposed direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act. The proposed funding would support the construction of a new silicon carbide wafer manufacturing facility in Siler City, North Carolina, helping to secure a reliable domestic supply of the semiconductors that will underpin the future energy economy and AI boom. President Biden and Vice President Harris championed the CHIPS and Science Act, a key component of the Administration’s Investing in America agenda, to usher in a new era of semiconductor manufacturing in the United States, bringing with it a revitalized domestic supply chain, good-paying jobs, and investments in the industries of the future. In addition to Wolfspeed’s North Carolina project, the proposed CHIPS investment is expected to catalyze its planned expansion of its device manufacturing facility in Marcy, New York. The projects together are estimated to create over 2,000 manufacturing jobs and 3,000 construction jobs and are part of the company’s previously announced more than $6 billion capacity expansion plan.
“Artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, and clean energy are all technologies that will define the 21st century, and thanks to proposed investments in companies like Wolfspeed, the Biden-Harris Administration is taking a meaningful step towards reigniting U.S. manufacturing of the chips that underpin these important technologies,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Because of the Biden-Harris Administration’s CHIPS and Science Act, the United States is building and fortifying our semiconductor manufacturing capabilities to serve our economic and national security interests while creating jobs and economic opportunities for communities across the country.”
Founded in North Carolina in 1987, Wolfspeed is the world’s leading manufacturer of wafers and devices made from silicon carbide, a compound which has favorable chemical and material properties compared to traditional silicon, enabling Wolfspeed’s semiconductors to be highly energy-efficient and durable. The silicon carbide devices manufactured by Wolfspeed power electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids, enabling extended driving range-per-charge, faster charging times, and lower overall systems costs. Wolfspeed’s products sold in 2023 will save approximately 72 million metric tons of CO2 over their lifetimes. Beyond EVs, Wolfspeed’s devices are utilized for renewable energy systems, industrial capacities, and artificial intelligence applications. Furthermore, Wolfspeed supplies next-generation silicon carbide technologies used in national security applications to the United States military.
“We intend to build a booming semiconductor R&D industry in the United States that will attract and keep semiconductor manufacturers in this country,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology Director Laurie Locascio. “These efforts depend on a reliable domestic supply of specialized semiconductor wafers and devices, such as those produced by firms like Wolfspeed. With proposed investments such as this, we are realizing the goals of the CHIPS and Science Act by building out the domestic supply chains that will keep America’s R&D capacity healthy and competitive.”
“We’re grateful for the continued support of Secretary Raimondo and the CHIPS Office throughout this process, as this announcement marks a pivotal milestone in Wolfspeed’s long-term growth strategy and important technology. As a key player in the semiconductor industry, this proposed funding will enable us to solidify our leadership position with a first-of-a-kind 200mm silicon carbide manufacturing footprint in New York and North Carolina, while contributing to the resilience and competitiveness of the U.S. supply chain," said Wolfspeed CEO Gregg Lowe.
The proposed CHIPS investment would support the construction of the John Palmour Manufacturing Center for silicon carbide in Siler City, North Carolina. This new, 2-million-square-foot facility would become the United States’ largest silicon carbide wafer manufacturing facility and the world’s first high-volume 200mm silicon carbide wafer manufacturing facility. In conjunction with the Siler City development, Wolfspeed plans to expand its existing silicon carbide device manufacturing facility in Marcy, New York, which would contribute to the growth of the facility as the world’s first fully automated 200mm silicon carbide power device fab and increase its production capacity by approximately 30%. This fab is qualified to serve both automotive and industrial and energy customers. Due in part to these proposed projects, Wolfspeed anticipates achieving a five-fold increase in their silicon carbide device output and a ten-fold increase in 200mm materials production capacity.
The proposed CHIPS funding will also help catalyze private capital investment of at least $750 million to support the company’s expansion plans. This injection of private capital would not have occurred were it not for the CHIPS and Science Act. Consistent with the Department’s practice across all announced PMTs, the PMT with Wolfspeed contains conditions for funding disbursements related to construction and operating milestones. The PMT requires the company to take additional steps to strengthen its balance sheet to better protect taxpayer funds
In North Carolina, Wolfspeed has partnered with North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (N.C. A&T) and committed $4 million over five years to establish the Wolfspeed Endowed Scholars Program. N.C. A&T and Wolfspeed aim to establish curriculum and training programs to create undergraduate and graduate silicon carbide manufacturing credentials and career advancement programs for manufacturing workers. In New York, Wolfspeed has established partnerships with programs, such as Real Life Rosies and VET ST.E.P., to develop and recruit more women and military veterans into the semiconductor workforce. Furthermore, Wolfspeed has partnered with local career organizations, including Mohawk Valley Community College and the Manufacturers Association of Central New York, to develop a Registered Apprenticeship program.
To address local child care challenges in North Carolina and New York, Wolfspeed plans to offer financial support in both locations to increase the capacity or operating hours of existing providers while providing a stipend and a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account to employees to defray costs. Wolfspeed also plans to join a vendor partners program in each location, building four new licensed in-home care programs creating 24 more child care slots in New York and five to ten licensed in-home care programs to create 40-80 more child care slots in North Carolina.
Wolfspeed has achieved Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification in New York and is pursuing LEED certification in Siler City. Wolfspeed plans to conserve substantial amounts of energy and water in both their office buildings and the semiconductor manufacturing processes to cut operational emissions by 50% by 2030.
The company has indicated that it plans to claim the Department of the Treasury’s Investment Tax Credit, which is expected to be up to 25% of qualified capital expenditures.
As explained in its first Notice of Funding Opportunity, the Department of Commerce may offer applicants a PMT on a non-binding basis after satisfactory completion of the merit review of a full application.The PMT outlines key terms for a potential CHIPS incentives award, including the amount and form of the award. The award amounts are subject to due diligence and negotiation of award documents and are conditional on the achievement of certain milestones. After a PMT is signed, the Department of Commerce begins a comprehensive due diligence process on the proposed projects and continues negotiating or refining certain terms with the applicant. The terms contained in any final award documents may differ from the terms of the PMT being announced today.
About CHIPS for America
CHIPS for America has allocated over $35 billion in proposed funding across 17 states and proposed to invest billions more in research and innovation, which is expected to create over 115,000 jobs. Since the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration, semiconductor and electronics companies have announced over $400 billion in private investments, catalyzed in large part by public investment. CHIPS for America is part of President Biden and Vice President Harris’s economic plan to invest in America, stimulate private sector investment, create good-paying jobs, make more in the United States, and revitalize communities left behind. CHIPS for America includes the CHIPS Program Office, responsible for manufacturing incentives, and the CHIPS Research and Development Office, responsible for R&D programs, that both sit within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) at the Department of Commerce. Visit https://www.chips.gov to learn more.
3 weeks 2 days ago
Checkout newsReadout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with Italian Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso
Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo met with Italian Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso. Secretary Raimondo congratulated Minister Urso and his team on their successful leadership the G7 Ministerial Meeting on Industry and Technological Innovation, which was held yesterday. She also expressed her support for the G7 Point of Contact group on semiconductors established by Italy during its host year. The two also discussed recent semiconductor investments in Italy, as well as other opportunities to deepen U.S.-Italy trade an investment ties.
3 weeks 6 days ago
Checkout newsReadout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with Italian Minister of Economy and Finance Giancarlo Giorgetti
Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo met with Italian Minister of Economy and Finance Giancarlo Giorgetti. During their meeting, the two discussed ongoing efforts to promote increased trade and investment between the United States and Italy. Secretary Raimondo highlighted opportunities for U.S. firms to contribute to growth in Italy and thanked Italy for its leadership hosting the G7 this year.
3 weeks 6 days ago
Checkout newsReadout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board
This week, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo convened the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (TTAB) for the final meeting of its current two-year term to reaffirm the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to strengthening our nation’s global competitiveness in the U.S. travel and tourism industry. The industry is vital to the American economy, supporting 10 million jobs and creating $2.3 trillion in economic activity. During the meeting, Secretary Raimondo, Assistant Secretary for Industry and Analysis Grant T. Harris, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Travel and Tourism Alex Lasry, and TTAB members discussed issues related to workforce development, sustainability, and strategies to enhance the United States’ global competitiveness as a top travel destination.
In 2022, the Department of Commerce launched the National Travel and Tourism Strategy to provide a roadmap to help the industry rebound. The Strategy focuses on initiatives designed to drive economic growth and job creation in communities across the country. During the meeting and throughout their term, TTAB members provided recommendations on actions that could support the industry and foster greater economic growth for the nation.
The TTAB is the private sector advisory body to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on matters relating to the travel and tourism industry in the United States. Members serve at the pleasure of the Secretary, typically for a two-year term. Commerce is currently accepting applications for the next term of the TTAB, through Friday, November 1. Visit the TTAB webpage to learn more and how to apply at trade.gov.
3 weeks 6 days ago
Checkout newsReadout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Secretary Raimondo is in Italy for the G7 Ministerial Meeting on Industry and Technological Innovation in Rome. During the meeting, Secretary Raimondo expressed appreciation for Italy’s strong leadership during their G7 host year. The two discussed ongoing efforts through the G7 to promote a more resilient global semiconductor ecosystem and to strengthen US-Italy commercial and investment ties.
4 weeks ago
Checkout newsReadout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with United Kingdom Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Peter Kyle
ROME, Italy – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo met with United Kingdom Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Peter Kyle on the margins of the G7 Ministerial Meeting on Industry and Technological Innovation. The two discussed the Department of Commerce’s and UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s ongoing collaboration on AI safety, continued cooperation on Open RAN and semiconductors, and other related topics. They also discussed deepening cooperation based on mutual interests in bolstering children’s safety online, including encouraging safer product design and promoting increased platform transparency. Secretary Raimondo and Secretary Kyle released the U.S.-UK Joint Statement on Child Online Safety, which highlights increased cooperation and improves information sharing between the two countries on children’s safety on the internet.
4 weeks ago
Checkout newsU.S.-UK Joint Statement on Child Online Safety
The following joint statement was released by the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Kingdom on the sidelines of the G7 Ministerial on Industry, Technology, and Digital, as part of the U.S.-UK Comprehensive Dialogue on Technology & Data.
Begin text:
The United Kingdom and United States share fundamental values and a commitment to democracy and human rights, including privacy and freedom of expression. Both the United Kingdom and United States, alongside our international partners, are taking steps to support children’s online safety.
To make the Internet safer for children, we should aim to ensure all users have the skills and resources they need to make safe and informed choices online, and advance stronger protections for children. The United States and United Kingdom intend to work with our national institutions and organizations to support these goals and shared values. To help further these aims, both countries plan to establish a joint children’s online safety working group to advance the aims and principles of this statement.
There are parallels between the child online safety landscape in the United States and United Kingdom. Smartphone ownership is nearly universal amongst teenagers in both countries.1,2,3 Children in the United States and the United Kingdom actively engage with social media platforms daily; upwards of six in ten 13 to 17-year-olds in the United States and United Kingdom report using TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram,4 whilst nearly nine in ten report using YouTube.5,6 In both countries, children report accessing social media at an early age. Nearly 40 percent of 8 to 12-year-olds in the United States7 and 63 percent of 8 to 11-year-olds in the United Kingdom report using social media.8
We recognize the significant educational and social benefits technology can provide children and seek to ensure that they can flourish, online and offline. To ensure these benefits can be maximized, online platforms, including social media companies, have a moral responsibility to respect human rights and put in place additional protections for children’s safety and privacy. Age-appropriate safeguards, including protections from content and interactions that harm children’s health and safety, are vital to achieve this goal. This includes measures to address and prevent sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment, cyberbullying, content that is abusive (including technology-facilitated gender-based violence), and content that encourages or promotes suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders.
The UK Government is committed to the online safety of children. The Online Safety Act places clear duties on online platforms to protect children’s safety and put in place measures to mitigate risks. For example, platforms must use ‘highly effective’ privacy preserving age assurance technologies to prevent children from encountering the most harmful content, including pornography (including violent pornography) and content which encourages or promotes suicide. Platforms also need to proactively tackle the most harmful illegal content and activity, including child sexual exploitation and abuse and content which disproportionately affects women and girls, such as harassment, intimate image abuse, and controlling or coercive behavior. Companies can elect to voluntarily extend these protections to children living across the world to increase the health, safety, and privacy of children.
The U.S. government has taken bold action to advance children’s online health, safety, and privacy. In 2023, the United States Surgeon General issued a new advisory about the effects social media use has on youth mental health. Building on this advisory, the U.S. government launched the Kids Online Health and Safety Task Force to advance the health, safety, and privacy of children online, including preventing and mitigating the adverse health effects that children can experience through the use of online platforms. The Task Force released a report which includes guidance and recommendations for industry, parents and caregivers, researchers, and policymakers on how to promote and enhance youth online health, safety, and privacy.9 Further, the U.S. government has made addressing image-based sexual abuse a core focus of its AI policy, with several actions to promote the safeguarding of AI systems from generating child sexual abuse material included in the Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of AI, and issuing a call to action inviting industry to make voluntary commitments to reduce the generation, dissemination, and monetization of image-based sexual abuse.
We should continue to advocate for increased transparency from online platforms, including clear and accessible terms of service and reporting on online safety practices, to assist governments, regulators, independent researchers, and the public to develop a better understanding of the technologies that are shaping children’s lives. Further independent, public interest research is needed to evaluate the impact of excessive social media and smartphone use on children’s development and enable researchers and policymakers to work towards a robust framework to assess the risks to children at different stages of their childhood and adolescence. To support such research, we should consider work to increase privacy-preserving access to online platform data for independent researchers. These risks and challenges associated with the digital environment are constantly evolving alongside new and emerging technologies, including generative AI. We should seek to ensure that research on the impacts of these new technologies keeps pace with their development.
Both countries acknowledge that risk-based and safety-, privacy-, and inclusivity-by-design approaches throughout design, development, and deployment are fundamental to children’s safety and wellbeing online, alongside increased transparency and accountability from online platforms. We consider that measures, as appropriate, such as preventing the promotion of harmful content, better reporting on content moderation, strong default privacy settings, and limits on targeted advertising, play an important role in protecting children from excessive data collection and harmful content and interactions, while delivering age-appropriate experiences. We also believe it is imperative that such measures are implemented in a manner that respects human rights, including privacy and freedom of expression. The United Kingdom and United States continue to work together to protect children online through multilateral forums such as the OECD.
We encourage online platforms to go further and faster in their efforts to protect children by taking immediate action and continually using the resources available to them to develop innovative solutions, while ensuring there are appropriate safeguards for user privacy and freedom of expression.
Children’s online safety is an issue of global importance. We also plan to work with our international partners to develop and promote common solutions, shared principles, and global standards that prioritize children’s wellbeing and champion a free, open, and secure Internet.
End text.
Citations
1 - Pew Research, Teens, Social Media and Technology. 2023 Statistic: 95% of US teenagers own their own smartphone (based on a survey of 1,453 teenagers).
2 - The latest NTIA Internet Use Survey of U.S. household estimates that 83 percent of 15-24-year-olds use smart phones https://www.ntia.gov/data/explorer#sel=mobilePhoneUser&demo=age&pc=prop&disp=chart
3 - Ofcom, Children and parents: media use and attitudes report 2024 – interactive data. 2024 Statistic: 96% of UK teenagers own their own smartphone
4 - Ofcom, Children and parents: media use and attitudes report 2024 – interactive data. 2024 Statistic: In the UK, TikTok (66 percent), Snapchat (63 percent), and Instagram (58 percent) are popular among 12-17-year-olds
5 - Pew Research, Teens, Social Media and Technology. 2023
6 - Parents' and children's online behaviors and attitudes survey 2023. 30th October to 27th November 2023. Statistic: 88 percent of UK children use YouTube (this includes YouTube Kids)
7 - The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory, Social Media and Youth Mental Health. 2023
8 - Ofcom: Parents' and Children's Online Behaviours and Attitudes Survey 2023. 30th October To 27th November 2023. Table
9 - Online Health and Safety for Children and Youth: Best Practices for Families and Guidance for Industry (July 22, 2024), https://www.ntia.gov/category/kids-online-health-and-safety/online-health-and-safety-for-children-and-youth
4 weeks ago
Checkout newsBiden-Harris Administration Announces Preliminary Terms with Edwards Vacuum to Bring Specialized Dry Vacuum Pump Manufacturing to the U.S. for the First Time
Proposed CHIPS Investment Could Provide Pumps to Nearly All Fabs Built in the United States Through the End of the Decade
Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce and Edwards Vacuum have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide up to $18 million in proposed direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act. President Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act, a key component of his Investing in America agenda, to revitalize semiconductor manufacturing in America while strengthening our domestic supply chain, creating good-paying jobs, and supporting investments in the industries of the future. This proposed funding would support the construction of a greenfield state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Genesee County, New York, which the company first announced in 2022. The facility will produce the dry vacuum pumps, which are needed for semiconductor production, and is estimated to create approximately 600 good-paying jobs.
“This strategic and targeted proposed investment in domestically manufactured dry vacuum pumps, which all semiconductor manufacturers need to operate fabs, is another example of how we are working to ensure every part of the semiconductor supply chain is being built right here in the United States,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “With President Biden and Vice President Harris’s CHIPS and Science Act and this proposed investment in New York, semiconductor manufacturers would have a domestic supply of this important equipment.”
“The Biden-Harris Administration passed the historic CHIPS & Science Act to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the United States and strengthen our supply chains,” said Natalie Quillian, White House Deputy Chief of Staff. “Today’s announcement demonstrates how our Administration and the state of New York are working together to deliver on that vision, which will create hundreds of new jobs in Western New York.”
This proposed investment in Edwards Vacuum, will help ensure a reliable domestic supply of important equipment needed for semiconductor manufacturing. This would be a meaningful step towards strengthening U.S. economic and national security, as currently, there is no domestic production of semiconductor-grade dry vacuum pumps. These pumps are essential for both advanced and legacy semiconductor fabrication: Installed beneath the fab, they maintain the chamber environment where wafers are processed by evacuating toxic fumes and chemicals.
“As a result of the Biden -Harris Administration’s proposed investment in Edwards Vacuum – made possible by the historical CHIPS and Science Act – the U.S. is expected to play a significant role in producing these important pieces of equipment for U.S. based fabs and will create hundreds of jobs in the process,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology Director Laurie E. Locascio.
Edwards Vacuum’s local workforce development efforts include a partnership with Genesee Community College (GCC). Edwards Vacuum’s commitment to GCC is centered around ensuring their workforce remains equipped with the latest skills and knowledge to thrive in the semiconductor industry. Additionally, Edwards Vacuum is a member of the NY SMART I -Corridor Consortium Tech Hub which is bringing together local actors to enhance semiconductor manufacturing capabilities while ensuring economic opportunity reaches underserved communities in upstate New York. The Biden-Harris Administration, through the Department of Commerce, has also provided a Build Back Better Regional Challenge award to the area in 2022. The multiple layers of federal resources are driving local revitalization through advanced manufacturing. This proposed investment will also support and benefit the work of the Upstate New York Investing in America Workforce Hub, which will train New Yorkers for good-paying jobs up and down the semiconductor supply chain.
The company has indicated that it plans to claim the Department of the Treasury’s Investment Tax Credit, which is expected to be up to 25% of qualified capital expenditures.
As explained in its first Notice of Funding Opportunity, the Department of Commerce may offer applicants a PMT on a non-binding basis after satisfactory completion of the merit review of a full application. The PMT outlines key terms for a potential CHIPS incentives award, including the amount and form of the award. The award amounts are subject to due diligence and negotiation of award documents and are conditional on the achievement of certain milestones. After a PMT is signed, the Department of Commerce begins a comprehensive due diligence process on the proposed projects and continues negotiating or refining certain terms with the applicant. The terms contained in any final award documents may differ from the terms of the PMT being announced today.
About CHIPS for America
CHIPS for America has allocated over $35 billion in proposed funding across 16 states and proposed to invest billions more in research and innovation, which is expected to create over 115,000 jobs. Since the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration, semiconductor and electronics companies have announced over $400 billion in private investments, catalyzed in large part by public investment. CHIPS for America is part of President Biden and Vice President Harris’s economic plan to invest in America, stimulate private sector investment, create good-paying jobs, make more in the United States, and revitalize communities left behind. CHIPS for America includes the CHIPS Program Office, responsible for manufacturing incentives, and the CHIPS Research and Development Office, responsible for R&D programs, that both sit within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) at the Department of Commerce. Visit https://www.chips.gov to learn more.
4 weeks ago
Checkout newsU.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to Travel to Rome for G7 Ministerial
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo will travel to Rome, Italy from October 10-11 to participate in the G7 Industry and Technological Innovation Ministerial, which will bring together government leaders from Italy, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union to discuss challenges facing G7 nations’ economies. Among other issue areas, during the Ministerial, Raimondo will address the advancement of cutting-edge technologies like semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI) with G7 leaders and discuss continued collaboration to create stronger economies, increase supply chain resilience, and spur equitable economic growth. While in Rome, Secretary Raimondo will also meet with Italian officials and business leaders to further strengthen the important bilateral commercial relationship.
4 weeks 1 day ago
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