History glossary
semiconductors
advanced electronic components central to computing, phones, weapons, artificial intelligence, and U.S.-China technology rivalry.
- Category
- Technology
- Region
- Global
- Date range
- Modern
What it means
Semiconductors are the chips that power modern electronics, from phones and computers to weapons systems and artificial intelligence. By the 2010s and 2020s, control over semiconductor design, manufacturing, and supply chains became a major arena of U.S.-China rivalry.
Stories using this term
The World After The Cold War
From the fall of the Soviet Union to the rise of China and global terrorism, this story traces the turbulent reshaping of the international order after 1991.
The Rise of China
After Mao, China combined market reform with one-party rule, using exports, cities, technology, and nationalism to become one of the world's most powerful states.
