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China has made a meaningful step toward semiconductor self-sufficiency, with Jiangsu Pacific Quartz now supplying high-purity quartz materials to major chipmaking equipment firms including Lam Research and Tokyo Electron, and clearing certification with a domestic DRAM manufacturer. But analysts note the critical bottleneck remains — Spruce Pine in North Carolina still holds a near-total monopoly on the ultra-pure quartz used in crucibles, the heart of silicon wafer production. China can supply the components, but it can't yet replace the source.
Shifting to AI and the broader economy, the head of the Bank for International Settlements is sounding a cautious note on the artificial intelligence spending boom. Pablo Hernandez drew comparisons to the railway bubble and the dot-com crash, warning that the current wave of capital expenditure is being financed through opaque debt structures, with spending driven more by competitive anxiety than demonstrated returns. The concern is that if profits don't materialize, the correction could ripple well beyond the tech sector.
And in the world of open-source software, Automattic's board has placed CEO and founder Matt Mullenweg on paid leave amid what Mullenweg himself is calling a conspiracy within the company. His role at WordPress dot org remains unchanged for now, but the situation leaves the future of one of the web's most foundational platforms in genuine uncertainty.
That's the day in tech. Keep surfing. Tech Beat out.
