Silicon dreams

This week we’re talking about a subject near and dear to my heart, well, near at least if you count proximity. That’s right, we’re discussing the recent semiconductor investment in Arizona.

I usually go to the well to find the most current security topics for my blogs, but things dry up the closer you get to a major industry show since everyone wants to play their cards close to their chests. I think the major semiconductor news isn’t too long in the tooth, however. Roughly a week past the government promised up to $8.5 billion in direct funding to Intel to advance its projects into semiconductor research and manufacture.

Obviously that’s a huge deal for Arizona where Intel has been a presence since 1980. Yeah,  that’s right, I used to drive past the Chandler facility for Intel every day, so it's something of a local landmark to me. It’s a huge deal for the whole country of course as the U.S. courts Intel and Taiwan-based TSMC as they race to become a semiconductor superpower.

It all goes toward furthering a dream that many businesses and politicians in the state have harbored for years, to be the next Silicon Valley. The state has long been a burgeoning site for the tech industry, and you can even see some of our industries regular customers in residence, like Resideo, to make a fun play on words. We’ve also got NortonLifeLock, and several companies with offices in the state like Verkada.

Economically it’s all great news for the state of course, however, not amazing news for residents of the state. Because much like the actual Silicon Valley things its slowly becoming harder and harder to live here with rising costs. Sure a recent study found us to be the third most affordable state to live in, but did they factor in housing prices 18% higher than the national average? Oh let me tell you how some native residents feel about Californians fleeing to Arizona and grabbing up real estate. Better yet maybe I shouldn’t.

That doesn’t even scratch the surface of concerns I could list as a con for a burgeoning tech scene in Arizona, so while I welcome the growth and development, I hope those moving out to Arizona will seek to develop the region, and not their wealth.

Currently it’s making me feel insecure.