Semiconductor Deep Dive with YT Boon: Inside the AI Chip Supercycle

In this episode, Homodeus Research hosts a semiconductor industry deep dive with YT Boon — a semiconductor specialist and portfolio manager with a decade of engineering experience in microprocessor and ASIC chip design across the UK, Taiwan and China, having worked at Arm, Cadence Designs, Broadcom, Global Unichip, TSMC and Huawei. YT unpacks the rapid shift underway in the semiconductor industry over the past 6-9 months: how 2025's tariff-driven supply chain disruption gave way to a renewed focus on materials and technology innovation as AI infrastructure capex from the major hyperscalers continues to accelerate into 2026 and 2027. The conversation covers why a slowing Moore's Law is redirecting industry focus toward advanced packaging, thermal management and high-purity materials, and how new classes of materials are emerging across the supply chain — from semiconductor-grade chemicals to automotive and space-grade chips. Joining the discussion is Rob Williamson, Managing Director of Alpha HPA (ASX: A4N), who brings a supply-side perspective on how high-purity alumina is being adopted as a thermal management solution in advanced chip packaging, replacing silica in next-generation applications as GPU power demands climb from a few hundred watts to over 1,000 watts. Topics discussed: - The AI infrastructure capex cycle and its flow-through to semiconductors - Why Moore's Law is slowing — and what that means for materials innovation - Advanced packaging, chip stacking and the growing thermal management challenge - The shift from wet to dry cleaning processes in semiconductor manufacturing - Localisation of the materials supply chain amid geopolitical and export-control pressures - How qualification cycles work for new materials entering the semiconductor supply chain - Whether AI-driven demand is structural or a "one-trick pony" This is general industry commentary and does not constitute financial product advice. Homodeus Research operates under an issuer-pays research model as a Corporate Authorised Representative of Sharewise's AFSL. Please refer to our Financial Services Guide and relevant disclosures at homodeus.one.