EP. 141 · 11.21.2026 · 1:18:54
THE AI CHIP WARS: EAST–WEST SUPPLY CHAINS AND THE FIGHT FOR SILICON
with Ava Tanaka
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EPISODE BRIEF — EP. 141 · THE AI CHIP WARS: EAST–WEST SUPPLY CHAINS AND THE FIGHT FOR SILICON Guest: Ava Tanaka · Published: 11.21.2026 · Duration: 1:18:54 【OVERVIEW】 Ava Tanaka maps the new contours of AI chip commerce — where TSMC, NVIDIA, and the next generation of Chinese silicon designers are heading, and how export controls are reshaping who can build frontier models. AI is the new oil, but the refinery sits on a single island. In this episode, Ava Tanaka walks us through the hidden geography of AI chip commerce — from TSMC's foundry dominance in Hsinchu to the tightening noose of U. S. export controls on Chinese silicon designers. We discuss why the concentration of advanced chip manufacturing in East Asia represents both the greatest efficiency and the greatest geopolitical vulnerability of the AI era. Tanaka argues that the bifurcation of the semiconductor world into 'trusted' and 'restricted' spheres is not a temporary disruption but a structural reorganization that will define the next decade of AI. Founders, investors, and policymakers all need new playbooks — and this conversation is a field guide to the new terrain. 【KEY TAKEAWAYS】 1. TSMC's geographic lock-in: why the vast majority of advanced AI chips pass through one island, and what that means for global resilience 2. The three talent triangles: how engineer flows between Hsinchu, Tokyo, and Santa Clara shape who designs the next generation of silicon 3. Export controls as architecture: how restriction is forcing Chinese AI labs to redesign around bottlenecks, not just wait for them to clear 4. The bifurcated playbook: why the best AI founders are now building for two separate supply chains, not one global market 5. Where the returns accrue: chips, cooling, power, or the models themselves — a framework for allocating capital in a divided world 【CHAPTERS】 00:00 — Why the AI chip supply chain matters more than ever 18:22 — Talent flows: Hsinchu, Tokyo, Santa Clara 42:11 — Export controls in practice: what gets through, what doesn't 01:02:30 — The playbook for AI founders in a bifurcated world 【TOPICS】AI Chips · Geopolitics · Semiconductors 【WATCH】https://thedaopod.com/episodes/ep-141-silicon-and-silk
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https://thedaopod.com/rss.xmlABOUT THIS EPISODE
THE CONVERSATION
Ava Tanaka maps the new contours of AI chip commerce — where TSMC, NVIDIA, and the next generation of Chinese silicon designers are heading, and how export controls are reshaping who can build frontier models.
EPISODE SUMMARY
AI is the new oil, but the refinery sits on a single island. In this episode, Ava Tanaka walks us through the hidden geography of AI chip commerce — from TSMC's foundry dominance in Hsinchu to the tightening noose of U.S. export controls on Chinese silicon designers. We discuss why the concentration of advanced chip manufacturing in East Asia represents both the greatest efficiency and the greatest geopolitical vulnerability of the AI era. Tanaka argues that the bifurcation of the semiconductor world into 'trusted' and 'restricted' spheres is not a temporary disruption but a structural reorganization that will define the next decade of AI. Founders, investors, and policymakers all need new playbooks — and this conversation is a field guide to the new terrain.
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EP. 141 · THE AI CHIP WARS: EAST–WEST SUPPLY CHAINS AND THE FIGHT FOR SILICON
Ava Tanaka maps the new contours of AI chip commerce — where TSMC, NVIDIA, and the next generation of Chinese silicon designers are heading, and how export controls are reshaping who can build frontier models.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
HIGHLIGHTS
- 01TSMC's geographic lock-in: why the vast majority of advanced AI chips pass through one island, and what that means for global resilience
- 02The three talent triangles: how engineer flows between Hsinchu, Tokyo, and Santa Clara shape who designs the next generation of silicon
- 03Export controls as architecture: how restriction is forcing Chinese AI labs to redesign around bottlenecks, not just wait for them to clear
- 04The bifurcated playbook: why the best AI founders are now building for two separate supply chains, not one global market
- 05Where the returns accrue: chips, cooling, power, or the models themselves — a framework for allocating capital in a divided world
CHAPTERS
TIMELINE
Curated chapters
GUESTS
ON THE ROUNDTABLE
GP, Pacific Arc Ventures
Cross-border investor focused on AI chip design and deep tech bridging Asia and the US. Backed three AI accelerator startups from seed to series B.
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FULL TRANSCRIPT
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0:00 · Why the AI chip supply chain matters more than ever
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