AUSTIN, TEXAS – JUNE 08: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a news conference at the Texas State Capitol on June 08, 2023 in Austin, Texas. Gov. Abbott and Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw joined bill authors, sponsors, legislators and law enforcement members in the signing of bills designated towards enhancing border security along the southern border. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesAs the race for artificial intelligence and advancing tech chips continues around the world, Texas is trying to position itself as a leader in the game. The Gov. Greg Abbott just announced the Lone Star state is now leading the U.S. in semiconductor manufacturing.
State officials alongside Gov. Abbott recently appointed seven new members to the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium Executive Committee (TSIC EC) on Tuesday, March 19, at the University of Texas Dallas campus. The committee will be tasked with governing and working with industry stakeholders to ensure Texas’ place as a national leader in advanced semiconductor research, design, and manufacturing, according to a news release.
“Texas is the birthplace of the integrated circuit, and we now lead the nation as the No. 1 state for semiconductor manufacturing,” said Gov. Abbott in the release. “In the last legislative session, I signed the Texas CHIPS Act into law to help further cement Texas’ position as a national leader in the semiconductor industry.”
The Texas CHIPS Act, which established the TSIC EC, has helped the state rise in rankings and attract more chip-makers to Central Texas. Manufacturing semiconductors has become a major economy driver in Central Texas. Samsung’s $17 billion chip plant in Taylor, a suburb of Austin, is set to begin operations as early as July 1. The tech giant has had a decades-long presence in North Austin and its suppliers, like Tokyo Electron, are expanding all around the region to support the new factory.
Other companies with semiconductor ties in the Austin area include NXP Semiconductors NV, Infineon Technologies AG, and industry suppliers including Applied Materials Inc. Tech giants like Tesla, Dell, and Amazon have also established a growing presence in Central Texas.
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In addition to the TSI EC’s work with under the CHIPS Act, the legislation also strives to further develop the expertise and capacity at Texas higher education institutions and schools. Therefore, 16 representatives from universities across Texas were chosen to serve on the consortium’s higher education board at the March 19 event in Dallas.
