Both the GF expansion program and Intel's reported acquisition interest come against the backdrop of geopolitics becoming a larger factor than ever in the semiconductor manufacturing landscape. Last week, during a SEMI virtual event, the group's research director said that "geopolitics" had become, with unexpected quickness, a major factor in the investment of manufacturing facilities. The pandemic-influenced worldwide chip shortages dating back to early 2020 highlighted how a semiconductor industry filled with fabless chip companies had become increasingly dependent on manufacturers clustered in Asia, such as Taiwan's TSMC and South Korea's Samsung, as well as a rapidly growing number of Chinese firms.