4 semiconductor trends in 2018

Global semiconductor revenue is expected to rise by 7% (year over year) in 2018, according to the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (or WSTS). And, while the semiconductor industry has enjoyed consistent growth over the decades, the underlying ICs that power modern technology have evolved. Infiniti Research recently released a blog summarizing the four major contributors to the growth in the semiconductor industry: artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT) revolution, Level 3 autonomous vehicles, and high-throughput technologies such as 5G and augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR). These developments are driving increased demand across the semiconductor segments, particularly for processors, sensors and analog ICs. The mass fabrication of AI chips is rising on a global scale, from China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's plan to mass-produce neural-network processing chips by 2020 to IBM Watson Group's $200 million investment for a facility in Munich.