Why you should care about the semiconductor chip crisis

Are you worried about your chip supply? Not potato chips. Not poker chips. And not wood chips. I am talking about the shortage of semiconductor chips, which you may not realize influence everything from your cell phone to your car, your game console to national security.

We are talking about a nearly $500 billion semiconductor industry manufacturing silicon wafers using complex processes that allow us to do everything from drive to play. Our internet-connected world is completely dependent on energy, the production of semiconductors and each other for sourcing.

We are a world awash in gadgets like Xboxes, temperature gauges, webcams and wireless data panels in automobiles. Our schools use computers, our homes use kitchen appliances with sensors and out data is stored in hospitals and factories, and at local retail outlets. So, when one piece of the puzzle falls short, the whole picture is distorted.