Farhan Naqvi — a distinguished finance leader and the former CFO of iLearningEngines — is making waves again with his latest publication on the transformative power of semiconductors. With deep expertise in finance, capital markets, and AI-powered technologies, Naqvi explores how chips have evolved from simple hardware components into strategic assets central to global influence.

His timely analysis sheds light on the seismic shift taking place in technology, defense, and international relations — positioning semiconductors as the new drivers of national security and digital sovereignty.

Who Is Farhan Naqvi? A Strategic Finance Leader with a Vision Farhan Naqvi is a respected figure in the tech and finance ecosystem. As the former Chief Financial Officer of iLearningEngines, an AI-driven software company, he was instrumental in scaling the firm more than 10x and successfully leading it to a Nasdaq listing.

An alumnus of IIT Kanpur (B.Tech in Aerospace Engineering) and Harvard Business School (MBA), Naqvi brings a rare blend of technical acumen and financial strategy. Before joining iLearningEngines, he advised leading tech IPOs and M&A deals at top investment banks, including high-profile names like Uber, Square, Alibaba, and Fitbit.

Key Insight: Semiconductors Are Now Strategic National Assets In his article, Naqvi emphasizes a powerful idea: semiconductors are no longer just products — they are strategic resources. These microchips underpin today’s most transformative technologies, from artificial intelligence to quantum computing and autonomous systems.

“The microchip has become macro-strategic. The nations that lead in semiconductor design and manufacturing will shape the digital future.” – Farhan Naqvi

Silicon Sovereignty: A Global Race for Control Naqvi discusses the rapid global push toward silicon sovereignty, where nations aim to control chip design, manufacturing, and supply chains. Triggered by U.S.-China tech tensions and COVID-era disruptions, this trend has become a strategic priority for countries like the U.S., China, Japan, and members of the EU.

Governments are now investing billions to onshore production and protect supply chains. As Naqvi explains, chips are no longer seen as commercial commodities — they’re considered national security imperatives.

Chips and AI: The Infrastructure of Intelligence Having led the growth of iLearningEngines, a pioneer in AI infrastructure, Naqvi understands firsthand how critical chips like GPUs, tensor cores, and quantum processors are to powering AI ecosystems.

“Chips aren’t just components; they’re the infrastructure of intelligence. Without chip sovereignty, there is no AI sovereignty.”

This underscores a deeper issue: controlling chip technology means controlling the future of machine learning, automation, and national defense.

The Fragmenting Semiconductor Supply Chain Naqvi breaks down the unraveling of the traditional global chip supply chain. Historically, the U.S. led in design, Taiwan in manufacturing, Europe in tooling, and Japan in materials. But today, regionalization and “friend-shoring” are the new norm.

The U.S. CHIPS Act is encouraging domestic production, while China is racing to build a full-stack ecosystem — reflecting the urgency with which nations are rethinking chip access and independence.

The Innovation vs. Security Dilemma Farhan Naqvi also raises a crucial point: the growing focus on national security is clashing with global innovation. Export controls, tech restrictions, and supply chain walls may protect nations but could also hinder scientific collaboration and technological progress.

“There’s a risk that the very controls meant to protect innovation may end up harming it.”

This tension highlights the complexity of governing in a tech-dominated world.

Conclusion: Chips Will Shape the Future of Global Power In closing, Naqvi predicts that semiconductors — not oil or data — will be the most strategic resource of the 21st century. As nations compete to lead in this space, the chip race will define alliances, economic policy, and the global balance of power.

“The world’s most strategic resource is no longer oil or data. It’s the chip — built in nanometers, but measured in geopolitical influence.”

[Farhan Naqvi](https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/23939853) — a distinguished finance leader and the former CFO of iLearningEngines — is making waves again with his latest publication on the transformative power of semiconductors. With deep expertise in finance, capital markets, and AI-powered technologies, Naqvi explores how chips have evolved from simple hardware components into strategic assets central to global influence. His timely analysis sheds light on the seismic shift taking place in technology, defense, and international relations — positioning semiconductors as the new drivers of national security and digital sovereignty. **Who Is Farhan Naqvi? A Strategic Finance Leader with a Vision** Farhan Naqvi is a respected figure in the tech and finance ecosystem. As the former Chief Financial Officer of iLearningEngines, an AI-driven software company, he was instrumental in scaling the firm more than 10x and successfully leading it to a Nasdaq listing. An alumnus of IIT Kanpur (B.Tech in Aerospace Engineering) and Harvard Business School (MBA), Naqvi brings a rare blend of technical acumen and financial strategy. Before joining iLearningEngines, he advised leading tech IPOs and M&A deals at top investment banks, including high-profile names like Uber, Square, Alibaba, and Fitbit. **Key Insight: Semiconductors Are Now Strategic National Assets** In his article, Naqvi emphasizes a powerful idea: semiconductors are no longer just products — they are strategic resources. These microchips underpin today’s most transformative technologies, from artificial intelligence to quantum computing and autonomous systems. “The microchip has become macro-strategic. The nations that lead in semiconductor design and manufacturing will shape the digital future.” – Farhan Naqvi **Silicon Sovereignty: A Global Race for Control** Naqvi discusses the rapid global push toward silicon sovereignty, where nations aim to control chip design, manufacturing, and supply chains. Triggered by U.S.-China tech tensions and COVID-era disruptions, this trend has become a strategic priority for countries like the U.S., China, Japan, and members of the EU. Governments are now investing billions to onshore production and protect supply chains. As Naqvi explains, chips are no longer seen as commercial commodities — they’re considered national security imperatives. **Chips and AI: The Infrastructure of Intelligence** Having led the growth of iLearningEngines, a pioneer in AI infrastructure, Naqvi understands firsthand how critical chips like GPUs, tensor cores, and quantum processors are to powering AI ecosystems. “Chips aren’t just components; they’re the infrastructure of intelligence. Without chip sovereignty, there is no AI sovereignty.” This underscores a deeper issue: controlling chip technology means controlling the future of machine learning, automation, and national defense. **The Fragmenting Semiconductor Supply Chain** Naqvi breaks down the unraveling of the traditional global chip supply chain. Historically, the U.S. led in design, Taiwan in manufacturing, Europe in tooling, and Japan in materials. But today, regionalization and “friend-shoring” are the new norm. The U.S. CHIPS Act is encouraging domestic production, while China is racing to build a full-stack ecosystem — reflecting the urgency with which nations are rethinking chip access and independence. **The Innovation vs. Security Dilemma** [Farhan Naqvi ](https://medium.com/@farhan901/the-future-of-semiconductors-strategic-technologies-the-new-frontline-of-global-power-5f05f16ec91c)also raises a crucial point: the growing focus on national security is clashing with global innovation. Export controls, tech restrictions, and supply chain walls may protect nations but could also hinder scientific collaboration and technological progress. “There’s a risk that the very controls meant to protect innovation may end up harming it.” This tension highlights the complexity of governing in a tech-dominated world. **Conclusion: Chips Will Shape the Future of Global Power** In closing, Naqvi predicts that semiconductors — not oil or data — will be the most strategic resource of the 21st century. As nations compete to lead in this space, the chip race will define alliances, economic policy, and the global balance of power. “The world’s most strategic resource is no longer oil or data. It’s the chip — built in nanometers, but measured in geopolitical influence.”