Commission Recommends $35B for AI Semiconductor R&D

The federal government should commit $35 billion over five years for semiconductor R&D, manufacturing and other artificial intelligence-related investments, the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence urged Monday. It recommended $15 billion for federal microelectronics manufacturing grants, $12 billion for microelectronics R&D, $7 billion for microelectronics infrastructure and $500 million for DOD trusted and assured microelectronics. The Semiconductor Industry Association welcomed the report, noting its call for “a national microelectronics strategy, revitalizing domestic microelectronics fabrication, and ramping up microelectronics research.” President Joe Biden should follow the report’s recommendation to create a national AI strategy, said Information Technology and Innovation Foundation Center for Data Innovation policy analyst Hodan Omaar.