ON SEPT. 24, 2021, Intel broke ground on two new computer chip factories in Chandler, Ariz., just one of many such projects companies are racing to complete across the country to fuel a seemingly bottomless demand for semiconductors. Amid the backdrop of dirt, steel, and bulldozers, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger stood at a podium to address the crowd gathered to mark the occasion. “Isn’t this awesome?” he said, gesturing to the massive construction site behind him. “If this doesn’t get you excited, check your pulse.”
Intel’s plans for its campus near Phoenix are indeed remarkable: The chip giant is pouring $20 billion into the project, and says the new factories, or fabs, will
