# Episode 26: A Thesis on AI's Impact on Semi Segments

- Show: [The Circuit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit)
- Published: 2023-07-23
- Length: 34m
- Episode: 28
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2023-07-23-episode-26-a-thesis-on-ais-impact-on-semi-segments
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/beef8d92

## Summary

Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg discuss Jay's thesis on how AI impacts various semiconductor segments, focusing on the shift from training to inference and the competitive landscape. They analyze NVIDIA's dominance in training via CUDA and its 'accelerated computing' stack, while arguing that inference will become the majority of spend, driving growth in edge devices like PCs and phones. The hosts conclude that AI is additive to the total addressable market (TAM) for semiconductors, driven by new data center capacity and on-device processing, rather than simply cannibalizing existing CPU sales.

## Chapters

- [0:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2023-07-23-episode-26-a-thesis-on-ais-impact-on-semi-segments#t=1) Introduction: Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg on AI Semiconductor Thesis
- [1:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2023-07-23-episode-26-a-thesis-on-ais-impact-on-semi-segments#t=94) Jay Goldberg's Three Core Questions: TAM, Inference, and NVIDIA's Displacement
- [2:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2023-07-23-episode-26-a-thesis-on-ais-impact-on-semi-segments#t=164) NVIDIA's Dominance in Training and the CUDA Moat
- [7:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2023-07-23-episode-26-a-thesis-on-ais-impact-on-semi-segments#t=442) The Shift to Inference and the Economics of Edge Computing
- [13:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2023-07-23-episode-26-a-thesis-on-ais-impact-on-semi-segments#t=827) On-Device AI: PCs, iPhones, and the Hybrid Cloud-Edge Model
- [24:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2023-07-23-episode-26-a-thesis-on-ais-impact-on-semi-segments#t=1467) Transistor Budget Trade-offs: NPUs vs. CPUs/GPUs in Mobile Silicon
- [27:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2023-07-23-episode-26-a-thesis-on-ais-impact-on-semi-segments#t=1677) AI as Additive to Semiconductor TAM and Data Center CapEx

## Topics

- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- NVIDIA (company)
- TSMC (company)
- ASML (company)
- AMD (company)
- Google (company)
- Apple (company)
- Qualcomm (company)
- MediaTek (company)
- Intel (company)
- CUDA (other)
- PyTorch (other)
- Triton (other)
- Grace Hopper (product)
- MI 300 (product)
- iPhone (product)
- Windows (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Can the Nvidia Monopoly on AI Chips Be Broken?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2026-03-16-can-the-nvidia-monopoly-on-ai-chips-be-broken) (EE Times Current)
- [Whither Semiconductors? The Wheels on the Bus Go ‘Round and ‘Round](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-07-16-whither-semiconductors-the-wheels-on-the-bus-go-round-and-round) (EE Times Current)
- [The Evolution of AI in IoT | BrainChip's Nandan Nayampally | Internet of Things Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2023-04-13-the-evolution-of-ai-in-iot-brainchips-nandan-nayampally-internet-of-things-podca) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [Heterogeneous Computing with Raja Koduri](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2024-07-18-heterogeneous-computing-with-raja-koduri) (Oxide and Friends)
- [Google TPU vs Nvidia GPUs: Token Per Watt Dominance, or the Era of Scaling Is Over?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2025-11-26-google-tpu-vs-nvidia-gpus-token-per-watt-dominance-or-the-era-of-scaling-is-over) (Built 2 Scale)

## Citing this page

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