The Circuit

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the highlights from CES 2023, focusing on the significant advancements in robotics, AI infrastructure, and the competitive landscape among major tech companies like NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel. They explore the themes of modularity in data centers, the evolving role of CPUs, and the challenges posed by memory supply constraints. The conversation als...

In this conversation, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg engage with Benedict Evans to explore the current state of AI development, its historical context, and future predictions. They discuss the potential for an AI bubble, the importance of productization for user adoption, and the varying levels of AI integration across different industries. The conversation also touches on the comparison between Nvi...

In this episode, Ben Bajarin, Jay Goldberg, and Austin Lyons delve into the evolving landscape of networking, particularly in the context of AI and GPU technologies. They discuss the transition from traditional networking methods to more complex AI-driven networking, the significance of scaling strategies, and the critical role of SerDes in modern data centers. The conversation also touches on the...

This discussion analyzes the evolving landscape of semiconductor networking and custom silicon, anchored by recent updates from Marvell and Broadcom. Ben and Jay review Marvell’s Industry Analyst Day, noting the company’s strategic pivot toward networking and optical interconnects over pure custom logic. They debate the technical and timeline challenges of shifting AI clusters from copper to optic...

In this episode, Ben and Jay discuss a range of topics including Ben's health update, Amazon's recent AWS event focusing on AI compute, the competitive landscape with Nvidia and Google, Marvell's earnings and challenges in custom silicon, networking innovations with DPUs, Marvell's acquisition of Celestial, Nvidia's investment in Synopsys, Intel's resurgence in advanced packaging, and the leadersh...

In this conversation, Ben Bajarin discusses the recent innovations surrounding NanoBanana and its new feature, Notebook LM, which has significantly impacted the way infographics are created. He highlights the ease with which users can transform data and text into visually appealing infographics, showcasing the power of AI in data visualization.

The conversation explores the dynamics of market competition, particularly focusing on AMD's position and the strategies of hyperscalers. The discussion delves into game theory as a framework for understanding potential future scenarios in the tech industry. They also discuss key neocloud earnings and engage in a conversation on if these companies are REITs or neoclouds. 

This episode argues that today’s AI exuberance fits a familiar pattern: bubbles misallocate capital on the way up but leave behind productive infrastructure that powers the next S-curve. We revisit the “boom-bust-build-out” cycle and apply it to compute and the grid, note why “good enough” AI latency could flip capex behavior, and push back on modeling everything in gigawatts—useful for planning,...

The conversation delves into the competitive landscape of cloud computing, focusing on Nvidia's ambitions and the fragmentation of the market with numerous Neo clouds. Jay Goldberg discusses the implications of this fragmentation for Nvidia and its customers, who are increasingly seeking to develop their own custom silicon.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss Intel's recent earnings report, highlighting a sense of stability in the market compared to previous downturns. They explore the demand for CPUs, particularly in the enterprise sector, and the implications of upcoming product launches. The conversation shifts to Intel's foundry developments, where they express optimism about new manufacturing p...

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent industry discussion (confusion?) on GPU depreciation.  Jay Goldberg was also at OCP this week and they disucss takeaways from the networking show related to AI compute and AI datacenter. 

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent partnership between OpenAI and AMD, exploring its implications for the AI compute landscape. They delve into the competitive dynamics between AMD and NVIDIA, OpenAI's ambitions to become a hyperscaler, and the financial challenges associated with massive AI infrastructure investments. The conversation shifts to Intel's advancements s...

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg delve into the evolving landscape of hyperscalers and Neo clouds, discussing their definitions, the significance of power contracts, and the shift from Bitcoin mining to AI infrastructure. They explore the challenges posed by storage constraints in the age of AI, the implications of OpenAI's new app Sora, and Meta's acquisition of Rivos for custom sili...

In this conversation, Jay Goldberg and Michael Cunningham discuss the evolving landscape of semiconductor recruitment, focusing on macro trends, the impact of AI, and the challenges of reshoring manufacturing. They explore the skills in demand, the dynamics of the job market, and provide valuable advice for both entry-level engineers and senior directors looking to advance their careers. The discu...

On this week’s episode of The Circuit , Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg break down the surprising new partnership between NVIDIA and Intel, including a $5B investment and plans for co-developed CPU–GPU systems for data centers and PCs. They explore what this means for x86 in AI racks, AMD’s competitive position, and why Intel’s silence on Foundry raises big questions. The conversation also touches on...

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent Apple iPhone launch event, highlighting the innovations in the iPhone Air and Apple's semiconductor strategy. They delve into Synopsys's disappointing earnings report and the subsequent market reactions, as well as Broadcom's position in the semiconductor landscape. The conversation also covers Nvidia's new CPX system and the implica...

Ben and Jay unpack why Broadcom’s “fourth customer” (~$10B) custom-ASIC win reset sentiment even after a modest beat/raise, and how that squares with hyperscalers second-sourcing away from NVIDIA in the near term. They frame the true battleground as networking—Ethernet’s ubiquity vs. NVLink’s tight integration—then differentiate GPUs’ performance-per-watt advantages from custom ASIC cost calculus,...

In this conversation, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent earnings reports of Nvidia and Marvell, focusing on the implications for the AI market and the challenges posed by geopolitical factors, particularly regarding China. They analyze Nvidia's growth projections, the complexities of ASICs, and the competitive landscape for AI servers, particularly highlighting Dell's position in the...

In this conversation, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent government investment in Intel, its implications for the semiconductor industry, and the competitive landscape of Nvidia's new technology. They explore the future of Intel, the challenges it faces in securing customers, and the significance of Nvidia's Spectrum XGS Ethernet announcement. The discussion also touches on the state...

In this conversation, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss various topics related to the semiconductor industry, including the implications of new regulations on companies like AMD and Nvidia, the challenges faced by cloud computing providers, the market dynamics affecting Applied Materials, and the potential government involvement in Intel's future. They explore the complexities of profitability,...

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the latest earnings from AMD, highlighting their strong performance amidst market fluctuations and concerns about competition in the AI space. They delve into the growing importance of AI networking solutions and the recent release of OpenAI's open-source models, including GPT-5, which introduces a more collaborative approach to AI interactions...

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the latest earnings reports from major tech companies, exploring themes of market dynamics, investment in AI, and the implications of CapEx spending. They delve into the concept of whether we are in a bubble, the challenges of monetizing AI, and the competitive landscape among tech giants like Google, Meta, and Amazon. The conversation also tou...

The conversation explores the implications of a potential TSMC monopoly in the semiconductor industry, discussing the risks it poses to pricing, innovation, and competition. The speakers emphasize the need for strategic decisions among semiconductor companies and the importance of considering commercial solutions to mitigate the risks associated with a monopoly.

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent developments in the AI and semiconductor industries, focusing on Nvidia and AMD's approval to sell modified chipsets to China, the political dynamics influencing these decisions, and the competitive landscape with Huawei. They also analyze TSMC's earnings, the need for infrastructure upgrades to support AI agents, and the implication...

In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent developments in the RISC-V ecosystem, including Global Foundries' acquisition of MIPS and the implications for the semiconductor industry. They also delve into Intel's challenges with its manufacturing processes and the shifting landscape of AI, highlighting the potential for both growth and caution in the current market dynamics.