US Commerce Dept. plans to announce $100M funding for AI-driven semiconductor research

The United States' Commerce Department on Wednesday announced plans to award $100 million to boost the use of artificial intelligence in developing new sustainable semiconductor materials, news agency Reuters reported.

The US Department of Commerce oversees $52.7 billion in U.S. chip manufacturing and research grants. According to the report, they plan to award $100 million to help universities, national laboratories, and the private sector develop AI-powered autonomous experimentation for sustainable semiconductor manufacturing.

On October 2, the US also welcomed India's Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar, on his first visit to the US after the Modi 3.0 government took office. PTI reported that Jaishankar met his US counterpart Antony Blinken to discuss deepening bilateral cooperation, the situation in West Asia, and recent developments in the Indian subcontinent, the Indo-Pacific, and Ukraine.

Welcoming Jaishankar, Blinken said, “I think it's a reflection of the value that both countries attach to this partnership -- a partnership in so many different areas, including strategic technology sectors, space, semiconductors, clean energy, where our countries increasingly are working together and creating new opportunities for people in both India and the United States but also, more broadly than that, around the world. Of course, the critical role that India plays on the global stage, working for peace, stability, security -- here as well, we are doing more and more together,” according to the news agency's report.

This marks the US's step towards promoting AI and semiconductors in the country and collaborating with other countries like India.

According to an ANI report, on October 1, Jaishankar met with US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to discuss sectors such as semiconductors, critical minerals, trusted partnerships, and supply chain resiliency.

“We discussed semiconductors, iCET, critical minerals, trusted partnerships and supply chain resiliency. Value the strides we are making in our tech collaboration and economic partnership,” said Jaishankar in a post on the social media platform X.