Video summary
Jodi Shelton, co-founder and CEO of the Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA), joins the discussion to highlight her unique approach to leadership through her podcast, "A Bit Personal." This series delves beyond the typical soundbites seen in media interviews to explore the personal lives, ethics, and family values that shape the semiconductor industry's leaders. Shelton emphasizes that contrary to popular stereotypes of Silicon Valley culture, these engineers are deeply grounded, humble, and driven by a desire to solve problems rather than accumulate wealth. She notes that many executives credit their families for their success and maintain a strong work ethic rooted in service, even when their contributions were not fully appreciated or understood by the broader public in earlier decades.
The conversation also addresses the significant evolution of GSA's mission over the last three decades, reflecting the changing landscape of the semiconductor industry. When the organization was founded in 1994, it focused on legitimizing fabless companies that did not own their own fabrication plants, a stance that was often unpopular with investors who prioritized owning fabs as a table stake. Over time, GSA evolved to recognize that global competition and ecosystem collaboration were more critical than ever, leading the alliance to expand its scope to include international partners in Taiwan, China, and Europe. This shift underscores the industry's transition from viewing chips merely as components to understanding them as integral parts of complex systems, involving a wide range of players including foundries, packaging firms, IP providers, and EDA companies.
Looking toward the future, Shelton discusses emerging pressures on the industry driven by artificial intelligence and new technologies like quantum computing. The rapid advancement of AI models capable of compressing vast amounts of engineering knowledge is expected to accelerate chip design cycles from years to days, thereby increasing demand for fabrication capacity and forcing a reevaluation of how chips are designed and manufactured. Additionally, the discussion highlights the growing importance of vertical integration and networking within connected systems, moving beyond traditional chip companies to include major tech giants like Apple as key ecosystem partners. The industry is also seeing a rise in diverse leadership, exemplified by GSA's executive accelerator program specifically designed to support women with extensive experience in the field, fostering a more inclusive community where these leaders can develop essential skills and advance into senior roles.
As the year concludes, GSA continues to host exclusive events such as the US Executive Forum and the annual gala awards dinner, which celebrate the achievements of industry pioneers. These gatherings serve as crucial platforms for networking among hyperscalers, customers, and ecosystem partners while launching conversations on critical topics like AI, quantum computing, and sustainability. Shelton expresses pride in the organization's history of recognizing individual impact and fostering a sense of community that has persisted since its early days. With Season 2 of her podcast approaching and upcoming events scheduled for late summer and fall, the focus remains on building a resilient, collaborative, and innovative semiconductor ecosystem capable of meeting the world's growing technological demands.
Read the full video transcript
Palo Alto studio connection Silicon
Valley and Wall Street. I'm John F co
here with Dave Volante my co-host.
Hello, I'm John Furry your host of the
cube. We are here in the cub's NYC
studio of course with our PaloAlto
studio connecting Silicon Valley to Wall
Street. This is part of our NYC wired
program and our open community. One
we've been celebrating and really the
most popular program we have of many is
the AI factories where we talk to the
leaders who are making it happen.
Obviously the AI infrastructure
continuing to build out and accelerate
and then on top of that all the value
around the data the math feeding the
math processors the AI agents physical
AI we've been covering all that. This
segment is with Jody Shelton's the
co-founder and CEO of GSA, the
association that's really driving a lot
of the semiconductor community and also
the innovation, but also she's the host
of a new popular podcast, a bit personal
podcast which she talks to the leaders
and gets personal and explores what
they're working on and and the side that
no one sees. Jody, great to see you
again and thanks for coming on the cube
and we see wire and of course thanks for
all your partnership over the year.
Appreciate it.
>> Yeah, no, I love it. You guys were one
of the first people that I came to talk
to about the podcast when I did it. So,
>> yeah. And it's been a great podcast. I
want to get into the podcast first
because I think that's been very huge
success. Your style is very much the
same style you have running GSA. Very
collaborative, very personal, but you're
you go deep with the leaders, the nerds,
the geeks, the the builders, the
innovators.
>> And it's a side that you don't usually
see. Normally you see them on TV with
the sound bites and then they go back
and they're building more products,
leading teams. Talk about the podcast
experience this year. What's it been
like? What are some some favorite
moments?
>> So, you know what? It's actually really
fun. These are for the most part
everyone that's been on it so far.
Really good friend of mine, you know,
and so I I feel like I I've known them,
but even as well as I think I've known
them, I found out so many interesting
things. And you know what the truth is?
just like probably you and I. I mean, no
one really likes talking about their
personal life, especially when a
camera's rolling.
>> But at the same time, so much of their
personal life makes up who they are as a
person.
>> Yeah.
>> It determines, you know, their ethics
and their morality and their vision and
>> their work ethic all come from maybe the
way they were raised, the families
they've built. So, I think it's really
important and it's been I mean, it's
been fun. I think honestly that they
have fun once they're on there, but to,
you know, to convince them that they
need to talk about their personal life.
It's not something their PR agency or
person saying wait it's going to be a
news interview because engineers uh in
this in this industry and this is the
semiconductor they're all grounded in
engineering
>> and they have discipline but they also
like to have fun solving problems but
also many of them grow up to have
families and they have principles. Um
what has been the big takeaway when you
look at that cuz you know these
semiconductors are running the world now
and these individuals that you're
talking to and sharing with you they're
impacting all of our lives
>> right
>> what are some of the first principles
and and what's the themes that come out
is there any kind of pattern recognition
that you can talk about
>> you know the one thing that maybe I
would like everybody to know and I've
never said this on the podcast but any
images you have about the bro culture in
Silicon Valley.
>> These guys aren't part of that. I'm 100%
positive that exists somewhere.
>> Yeah.
>> But it does not exist in the
semiconductor industry. These guys, as
you say, I mean, most of them are
engineers. Most of them
>> never dreamt about wealth. It was never
it was never on their path. They wanted
to go solve problems. And guess what?
Along the way, maybe they got rich, but
that was never part of it. And so they,
you know, they're pretty softspoken a
lot of them um very introspective
almost everyone that I've met so far is
very very family oriented and you know
they credit their family with where they
are and their ability to to go off and
do great things through the support of
their family
>> you know uh raising all four of my kids
in PaloAlto over the past 26 years now
they're out of the house watching grow
living in the valley and and seeing the
other their engineers it reminds me of
the story Jensen told a few times where,
you know, I was the janitor, I was
sweeping the floors. I mean, I mean,
there's a humble beginning and they just
want to grind and solve problems. So,
there's a lot of hard work that goes in.
And even Jetson's story about all the
work they did at CUDA back when no one
was paying attention, they were so
focused.
>> This is a focus and execution has been a
big mindset.
>> That's right. You know, semiconductors
are hard. Okay. Being in this industry
is hard
>> and there's not a lot of up until the
last few years there hasn't been a lot
of glory in it,
>> you know, but that never bothered any of
these guys. They just went off and did
their jobs. And again, now that the
world is focused on semiconductors, now
that the world appreciates the
criticality of semiconductors, that's
changed. But they haven't changed.
They're the the same people that were
doing this. Again, as we talked earlier,
even when they were unpopular, even when
we weren't the popular kids, they were
off doing their work. And
>> many, not all for sure, but many of the
executives that I've interviewed,
>> the stories of their childhood and how
they grew up, talk about humble
beginnings. Yeah.
>> I mean, it's it's pretty phenomenal.
And, you know,
>> they were just so focused on doing well
for their families.
>> Yeah. and to, you know, to basically,
you know, make the sacrifice that their
parents made all worth it.
>> And season two is dropping
>> uh soon. Yes. What's the date on the
next?
>> The date is September 24th, so in a
couple of weeks, and we're going to the
first one's going to be with Lip Boutan,
the CEO of Intel. And
>> nice turnaround there.
>> Yeah, nice turn around.
>> Yeah. You know,
>> he knows the company very well. And you
know,
>> push a button, couple string, pull some
strings, push some buttons, get it back
online.
>> But if only it were that easy, right?
>> Of course, it's easy for me.
>> I mean, the stories that Lip Boo tells
about the first several months of being
at Intel. I I mean, it's impossible that
one person could do what he did. I mean,
it really is. But, you know, it's great
because
>> he knows all the secret tunnels in
Intel. He must know
>> and all his uh venture capital partners,
all ex Intel. Yes. Intel capital.
>> He's been in the industry. So he's been
watching all the current events. He's
had his finger on the pulse.
>> He has.
>> So it's nice that he comes into Intel
with that fresh perspective.
>> Right.
>> And you know, I mean, there are many
people that believe that only Li Buu
could have turned it around. I mean,
it's it's really quite phenomenal what
he's done. You know, when he became the
CEO of Cadence, remember
>> he had never been a CEO before. So we
think of Lip Buu as just like, you know,
this lifelong CEO that's been at, you
know, dozens of different companies.
Just not true. um he got put into
Cadence because Cadence was in trouble
had a huge turnaround and uh and and
then went back to to doing venture
capital being on boards he's you know
>> well he sits on the board of cognition I
just interviewed Farage earlier and this
is his third venture that lip who's been
involved in so little kuritsu
>> uh and it's interesting I was talking to
Farage and about some of the engineering
talent that's rising up to the new CEO
roles a lot of the engineers and
semiconductors have a good handle not
only on engineering ing about the
business side and understand the
relationships of ecosystems.
>> You got to be multi-dimensional to be a
leader these days.
>> You really do. And I think the bench is
getting deeper for sure. I mean, one of
the programs that we work on um at GSA
that actually we work with the NYSE and
work with you is that uh we have this
executive accelerator program and it
started out right now it's um it's a um
it's for women in the industry and they
have to have been in the industry a long
time something like 20 years. So these
women are very very talented.
>> Every year you do a cohort. That's
right. Right. And they come in.
>> Yes.
>> Explain the program. It's a really great
program.
>> It's a cohort of um approximately 21
women and they represent every part of
the ecosystem because our vision is that
okay so you need foundry because the
fabulous companies are there and guess
what they're going to be doing deals
together someday. They're going to be
working they're working right now on
technology deals but someday they'll be
working on business deals. So we wanted
the entire ecosystem. So the companies
nominate these women to be part of this
and then it's a it takes one year and
it's everything from
uh financial literacy to leadership
development to understanding the in
markets uh to uh to understanding how to
speak well and to get your message
across and you guys really help with
that. I know they get to do these
interviews and it's thrilling and we've
already seen some uh several results out
of the first cohort of women being
promoted to the um to the VP level and
so it's really fantastic. So it but in
general
>> by the way last year that was one of my
favorite events. We had such a good
time.
>> The joke was we should have had
champagne that no one wanted to leave
the studio.
>> Okay. So now you know to bring champagne
>> champagne, strawberries and fruits. No,
but they really enjoyed each other and
it was a community. It was a bond there.
>> They did. I think that I think that that
group will know each other for the rest
of their careers. For sure.
>> All right, let's get it to GSA because
one of the most exciting things
obviously we were talking before we came
on camera um that you know go back 10
years ago we love semiconductor but now
it's thrust onto the main stage
literally
>> people are protesting data centers. I
never you I didn't have that on my bingo
card. um the mainstreaming of the
semiconductor and the role it takes how
has that changed uh your role as founder
and CEO because there's a lot more
attention a lot more demand
>> right
>> how's that shaped the organization
>> I mean it did the great thing about the
GSA is we've tried to evolve maybe even
sometimes one step ahead of the industry
so when we started in 1994 we started as
the fabulous semiconductor association
Okay. So, it was this idea of
legitimizing fabulous. Okay. Now, people
think that that's a joke. Of course,
everybody's fabulous to some extent.
>> You were a contrarian back then.
>> That's right. And it really was. And um
we we're very unpopular on Wall Street.
Um especially with investors. You'd go
and talk a company would be on an IPO
road show and the first thing that the
investor would ask is now when are you
going to have your own fab? So, it was a
matter of when, not if.
>> So, in the in the playbook of finance,
that was a differentiator. table stakes.
You had to have it. And if you didn't,
it was weak.
>> That's right. You I mean, you weren't a
real company. You were bootstrapping
your way in. Okay. And what we learned,
but what we learned was that each year
that bar got higher about how long you
could stay fabulous. And I don't I'm
like the most optimistic person that I
know, and not even I would have believed
that there would be a company like
Nvidia or Qualcomm or AMD that are
completely fabulous. So the the model
works
>> and it's a it's you know has created a
lot of profit in this industry. And so
then one of the things that we saw many
years later was we said okay the
fabulous doesn't matter anymore but
global does. I mean even the companies
that were sitting at the table were all
American companies but they were having
to compete with Taiwanese companies. So
you needed to bring everyone to the
table. And I can tell you it was very
unpopular. I mean why would you bring
your uh competitors into the fold? But I
knew it was going to be important and so
we we launched in in Taiwan and then in
China and then in Europe. So that that
idea of global became very very
important and then making sure that the
ecosystem partners the the foundry
packaging IP these types of company EDA
are part of the conversation and not
sort of just they're great partners
because not only do the companies have
to work with those ecosystem partners
but they have to work together which is
very unusual and so then I think the
third big change that we saw was that
there are companies that are putting a
lot of pressure and requirements on the
foundaries that aren't chip companies.
>> Yeah.
>> The metas of the world.
>> And with Cognitive, which is launching
their product um in San Jose, they're
going to create more demand because they
can you can design, they've compressed
the knowledge of semiconductor
engineering and physics into an AI
model,
>> right?
>> I mean, they're going to be able to put
up chip design work in hours, days. not
years. So that's going to put a major
pressure on fabs and to build more fabs.
They're going to have a major market
impact, right? There's there's more
coming.
>> Yes. Yeah. I I think I think that the
way we do everything is changing. So why
not chip design, of course. So it it it
it only makes sense. And I think that
again, the companies that are involved
in GSA aren't just your traditional chip
companies. They include companies that
most people don't even know that make
chips. Of course, Apple they may know
makes chips, but Apple's, you know, one
of TSMC's largest customers. So, these
companies outside of the normal
traditional chip companies have a big
impact. And so, bringing their voice in
matters.
>> It's nice to see the the semiconductors
move from a element or an ingredient
into a system. You're seeing a lot more,
you know, vertical integration. You're
seeing a lot more density. You're seeing
the role of networking become super
important. Yes. Obviously, memory is
memory. We know that. So, a lot more
connected systems. This is where the
ecosystem really plays.
>> That's right. And you know, this
industry has been talking about that
it's really a systems industry anyway
for a long time. In fact, um I'm going
to tell a story on Jensen that that he
may not like. I'm sure it's funny. But
no, he a number of years ago he was
like, Jody, we're not going to be part
of GSA because we're not a chip company.
>> I'm like, Jensen, seriously,
>> you sell a lot of chips.
>> Yeah. But the point is is that he knew
even then.
>> Yeah, he knew early. He was smart how
important the entire system and the
stack was going to be. So of course he
was kidding and I would never let him
quit GSA. But u but the point is is that
that was at a time when semiconductors
weren't completely understood and
appreciated.
>> Yeah. Yeah. And he saw what was very
unpopular. And you know when you're a
leader like Jensen, uh you have to be
misunderstood for a long time. Yeah. and
he talks he's proud about that. Yes. And
that's what I admire most about him.
Also, he's the only CEO that says
computer science multiple times in his
keynote. He's very into the science side
of it. Um, talk about the GSA events
coming up. You have a lot going on the
second half of the year. Summer's come
to a close. What's on the agenda?
Obviously, we have the cohort coming
into the cube NYC Wired Studios in
Peloto in October. What else is
happening? You have the executive
forums, the gala awards.
>> Yes. So we have we have two executive
forums coming up. So we have the US
executive forum which is in PaloAlto
every year. Very exclusive sort of
curated um audience at at that event.
And again we'll we'll talk about of
course AI is is underpinning everything
we talk about but we also talk a lot
about quantum and we have the the
hyperscalers there and we have so we
have customers there we have the entire
ecosystem. So it's a really really great
event. um very important I think to the
industry and again as you say it
launches the fall conversations even
though in this industry there's no
>> there's no spring summer winter fall
they work all the time right
>> and of course the end of the year gala
awards is the celebration
>> we were there last year we got a nice
handy photo and interview with Jensen
and all the winners backstage
>> that talk about that event any hints
there
>> any early returns can you show a little
>> the top the top secrets.
>> Top secret telegraph a little bit.
>> My team actually never tells me who the
winners are.
>> Of course,
>> they're afraid I'll be waterboarded or
something, but but they they never tell
me. And um so it's it's always fun for
me to see. I know who the nominees are,
but uh but uh not the winners, but you
know what the
>> a lot of Cube alumni and NYC Wired
alumni on there. A lot of folks we've
interviewed last year. I think we
probably interviewed a bulk of the um
nominees.
>> That's great. We had such a great AI
factory year last year.
>> That's so fun.
>> Thanks to all the support for you and
your organization and just the industry
at large. I mean, it's hot. It's a hot
area.
>> And as you know, everybody's so happy
that night. And you know, it's a really
great story, too, because when we
started this annual awards dinner, we
were probably 1996, maybe 1995.
And
for one night, all focus was on the
accomplishments of these people. Okay.
And prior to that, that didn't I mean,
that didn't really exist to have just
everything. You're you're the greatest.
This night is all about you. And that
had really not ever been done. And so,
again, sort of it looks P now that you
know, I mean, we have we have this
dinner. It's
>> it seems obvious now.
>> It seems obvious. But you know I think
that the reason that people loved it so
early on it was like okay maybe what I
am doing is impactful to society. So
>> well I know you got to go go to lunch. I
really appreciate the time and I want to
say thank you from the cube and silicon
angle and NYC wired for all your
support. Um really enjoy working with
your team and the organization. Thanks
for doing it all these years.
>> Vice versa vice versa. You guys do we
have we have a lot of fun together.
>> Yeah. Yeah. And the podcast is great. A
bit personal. Uh, I love the play on
words there. Bit not bite or you know, a
bit personal where you sit down with all
the leaders. Thanks for coming on. Thank
you. Check out a bit personal uh by
Jody. It's our podcast going in season
two. And of course the GSA is a great
organization, a systems organization
now, not just chips and semiconductors.
Everything's included. They're inclusive
to all systems players. I'm John Fur,
your host of the Cube. Thanks for
watching.