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, risky for strategy. On companies: ARM’s quarter was solid, with rising royalties/CSS stickiness and ...
Nov 09, 2025•52 min•Ep. 143
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.
Nov 03, 2025•54 min•Ep. 142
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 processes and customer engagement. They also analyze the competitive landscape of AI compute infrastr...
Oct 27, 2025•54 min•Ep. 141
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.
Oct 20, 2025•51 min•Ep. 140
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 showcased during a tour of their Fab 52, highlighting their competitive edge in semiconductor manufac...
Oct 13, 2025•48 min•Ep. 139
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 silicon development. The conversation culminates in a reflection on the importance of semiconductor manu...
Oct 06, 2025•48 min•Ep. 138
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 discussion emphasizes the importance of soft skills, ownership in leadership roles, and the need for comp...
Sep 29, 2025•42 min•Ep. 137
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 Meta’s new Ray-Ban AR glasses—demo fails and all—and Huawei’s unexpected progress in advanced chipm...
Sep 20, 2025•46 min•Ep. 136
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 implications for the market, concluding with a discussion on the funding of the AI boom and the financial s...
Sep 14, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 135
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, arguing that “lumpiness” (program outcomes) is not “cyclicality” (inventory swings). They stress TA...
Sep 08, 2025•44 min•Ep. 134
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 market. The discussion also touches on the nuances of CapEx spending and the importance of clear co...
Aug 31, 2025•55 min•Ep. 133
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 of the analog devices market and anticipates Nvidia's upcoming earnings call, highlighting key areas...
Aug 24, 2025•48 min•Ep. 132
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, market competition, and the evolving landscape of technology and regulation. Takeaways New regulati...
Aug 17, 2025•46 min•Ep. 131
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. The conversation also touches on the uncertain future of AI and the challenges faced by Intel, con...
Aug 11, 2025•50 min•Ep. 130
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 touches on the potential disruption from Apple in the search market, the role of Nvidia in AI, and the ...
Aug 04, 2025•58 min•Ep. 129
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.
Jul 28, 2025•31 min•Ep. 128
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 implications of Synopsys' acquisition of Ansys. The conversation concludes with a look at Marvell's leadership ...
Jul 21, 2025•45 min•Ep. 127
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.
Jul 14, 2025•39 min•Ep. 126
In this conversation, Jay Goldberg and Professor John Metzler discuss the current state and future prospects of the Japanese semiconductor industry, focusing on key players like TSMC and Rapidus. They explore insights from Metzler's recent trips to Japan, the challenges of talent acquisition, and the broader implications for global semiconductor competition. The discussion highlights the unique approaches being taken in Japan, including the integration of AI and photonics, and the importance of ...
Jul 01, 2025•44 min•Ep. 125
In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent Marvell custom semiconductor event, the challenges faced in the custom chip business, and the evolving role of hyperscalers in chip design. They explore the future of ASICs versus GPUs, the growth trajectory of the semiconductor industry, and the impact of software on compute needs. The conversation also delves into chip design innovations, particularly the rise of chiplets, and the changing economics of semiconductor manufacturing...
Jun 23, 2025•41 min•Ep. 124
In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the recent developments in the tech industry, focusing on Apple's WWDC and AMD's product roadmap. They explore Apple's integration of AI into its operating system and the implications for developers, as well as AMD's performance and its competitive stance against Nvidia. The conversation also highlights the importance of networking in AI infrastructure and the evolving business models in the AI space.
Jun 16, 2025•38 min•Ep. 123
In this episode, Ben and Jay discuss the latest developments in the semiconductor industry, particularly focusing on Broadcom's earnings and the implications of AI on the market. They explore the growth of the semiconductor segment, the challenges in ASIC development, and the innovations in networking with the introduction of Tomahawk 6. The conversation also highlights the increasing importance of storage solutions in AI applications and anticipates upcoming events in the tech world....
Jun 09, 2025•31 min•Ep. 122
In this conversation, Jay Goldberg and Austin Lyons discuss Nvidia's recent earnings report, the future of AI and inference, and the dynamics of the AI market, including the impact of China on Nvidia's revenue. They explore the differences between consumer and enterprise workloads, the role of financing in AI server sales, and the challenges of realizing ROI from AI investments. The discussion also touches on real-world applications of AI in business and the future of AI integration in consumer ...
Jun 02, 2025•43 min•Ep. 121
In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the major highlights from Computex, including the dominance of AI, NVIDIA's strategic positioning, and the implications of geopolitical factors on the tech industry. They also delve into Google's recent innovations at I/O, the challenges of monetizing AI, and the evolving landscape of consumer AI experiences. The conversation wraps up with insights on edge computing and the competitive dynamics in China's AI market.
May 27, 2025•37 min•Ep. 120
In this episode, Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss the current state of the semiconductor industry, focusing on tariffs, AI budgets, and advancements in technology. They explore the implications of recent tariff discussions, the impact on supply chains, and the ongoing investment in AI infrastructure, particularly in Saudi Arabia. The conversation also highlights the evolution of AI factories and the need for localized infrastructure to meet national security and data sovereignty concerns....
May 19, 2025•33 min•Ep. 119
In this episode, Ben and Jay welcome Patrick McGee, author of 'Apple in China', who discusses his extensive research on Apple's relationship with China. The conversation explores how Apple's investments and manufacturing strategies have significantly influenced China's technological landscape, as well as the cultural impact of Apple products in China. Patrick shares insights from his book, detailing the evolution of Apple's supply chain and the pivotal role of Foxconn in Apple's success. In this...
May 12, 2025•47 min•Ep. 118
In this episode, Ben and Jay discuss the latest earnings reports from Apple and Qualcomm, focusing on the implications of tariffs, supply chain resilience, and the shifting landscape of semiconductor manufacturing. They explore Apple's confidence in its business despite uncertainties, the significant manufacturing shift to India, and Qualcomm's diversification strategy in the IoT and automotive sectors. The conversation highlights the challenges and opportunities both companies face in a rapidly...
May 06, 2025•52 min•Ep. 117
In this episode, Ben and Jay discuss Intel's recent earnings report, the implications of leadership changes, and the market's reaction. They delve into the challenges of workforce reductions, the need for cultural shifts within the company, and the importance of empowering engineers. The conversation also covers Intel's AI strategy, foundry developments, and the impact of global tariffs on the semiconductor industry.
Apr 28, 2025•38 min•Ep. 116
In this episode, Ben and Jay discuss the current state of the semiconductor market, focusing on the impact of tariffs, the upcoming earnings season, and the potential for sector rotation amidst economic uncertainty. They explore how companies are navigating these challenges, particularly in relation to AI demand and capital expenditures, while also considering Nvidia's position in the market. In this conversation, Ben and Jay discuss the implications of tariffs on various sectors, particularly f...
Apr 21, 2025•45 min•Ep. 115
In this conversation, Jay Goldberg interviews Amir Panoush, CEO of CEVA, discussing the evolution of the company, its role in the semiconductor industry, and the importance of digital signal processing (DSP) technology. They explore Siva's market segments, customer base, and the company's value proposition compared to competitors like ARM. The discussion also covers the integration of AI at the edge, new customer partnerships, and the emerging satellite market. Amir shares insights on management...
Apr 14, 2025•38 min•Ep. 114
