Since 2009, when Francoise started 3D InCites, she’s been sharing her insights on advanced packaging – an industry, she told me, that people used to dismiss.
“Back then, advanced packaging was still seen as a cost-adder, versus adding value through enhanced performance.” she said.
So much has changed since then. In 2009, the iPhone was still considered revolutionary. Now, the world is pushing for things we may have never believed possible. For better or worse, we’re moving closer to an AI-powered existence – and many of today’s AI innovations are driven by the progress made in advanced packaging.
As we know, a sizable portion of the industry believes that Moore’s Law may eventually end. And even though people have been saying that for decades, it’s clear that advanced packaging will be crucial for enabling the future of nearly everything. While Moore’s Law may be up for debate, the need for this industry is not.
Prior to joining 3D InCites, I barely knew what advanced packaging was.
“We don’t write about bubble wrap and cardboard,” Francoise told me.
Two years later, I have a much stronger grasp on the industry, but I’m still learning new things about advanced packaging every day. I imagine I’ll feel like this for the rest of my working life.
But that’s what I love about it – nothing is ever final. This industry is always trying to make things smarter, faster, and more revolutionary than anything that has ever existed before. The efforts and knowledge of our 3D InCites community are part of the reason that groundbreaking technologies like medical devices, autonomous vehicles, and others are even possible. It has been my greatest pleasure getting to learn from all of you.
Because ultimately, everything in the modern world starts with a chip. Even after interviewing dozens of you, attending several conferences, and completing hours of IMAPS Academy courses, I still can’t wrap my head around how you all do it. How did you uncover the correct sequence of process steps to turn basic silicon into chips that power the world? And even so, you’ve only scratched the surface of what’s possible.
However, I also want to leave you all with this – we still need to remember that opportunity also brings challenges. In this industry, the challenges sometimes seem insurmountable. Not only is this industry tasked with improving power delivery, addressing thermal challenges, and handling materials limitations, but it needs to do all of that while considering the long term.
For instance, how can we improve AI without introducing lethal levels of PFAS into our environment? And furthermore, how can we prevent AI from turning our world into a robot-powered dystopia?
While I admire the immense amount of talent it takes to create something as complex as AI, I urge everyone not to throw sustainability and ethics out the window. As the technology improves, I think it will be necessary to establish guardrails to prevent its misuse. I don’t have all the answers for how to do this, but it’s something I plan to keep my eyes on as I continue writing about this industry.
At the end of the day, I hope to see AI benefit humanity rather than destroy it.
Lastly, I want to thank Francoise for her dedicated mentorship and for giving me the opportunity to write for 3D InCites and to broaden my skill set. And of course, I want to thank all of you in the 3D InCites community for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm with me.
This isn’t a goodbye, it’s more like a “see you later.” I’ll keep you all updated on what’s next.
