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What Caulfield meant by the “other 70%”
Caulfield contrasted leading-edge processors with what he called “pervasive computing”: the many chip functions built into devices across everyday life and industry. His examples included high- and low-voltage integrated circuits, embedded memories, radio-frequency (RF) circuitry, and mixed-signal circuits. These functions support capabilities beyond general-purpose computation, such as handling radio signals or managing power.
His argument was that much of this chip mix does not need the smallest manufacturing nodes. For many such functions, he said, the benefits of continued transistor shrinking had already been exhausted. The strategic question, in his account, was not simply how to make transistors smaller, but how to develop and manufacture the processes needed for a broader range of chips.
In Brian Santo’s April 15, 2021 EE Times interview, Caulfield estimated compute-centric chips at about 30% of semiconductor-market revenue. “The other 70%” was the counterpart in his argument; the interview does not establish it as a separately verified market figure.
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How the strategy differed from a focus on leading-edge compute
Caulfield’s distinction was strategic, not a comprehensive taxonomy of the semiconductor industry. He described different chip functions as calling for different manufacturing capabilities and ecosystem investment:
| Strategic distinction | Compute-centric focus | “Pervasive computing” focus |
|---|---|---|
| Chip functions | Processors and other compute-centric chips | RF, embedded memory, mixed-signal, and high- or low-voltage integrated circuits |
| Manufacturing emphasis | Leading-edge transistor scaling | Processes suited to the specific chip functions; many do not require the smallest nodes, in Caulfield’s account |
| Ecosystem investment | Process and equipment | Process-design kits and partner intellectual property, alongside manufacturing capabilities |
He positioned GlobalFoundries as a specialist in the broader set of technologies. In his 2021 characterization, Intel’s announced foundry ambitions would make it a force in compute-centric chips, while GF would be a force in both that segment and the broader “other 70%.” He also said TSMC served the full market. These were Caulfield’s descriptions of company positions at the time, not an independent assessment of the market then or now.
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- Beautiful microchip pattern structure made by the advanced copper technology
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- The original value of un-polished wafer is above $500
- No guarantee for research and other applications
Why he made the case in 2021
The interview came amid pandemic-era demand growth, semiconductor shortages, and political tension between the United States and China. Caulfield said the pandemic had accelerated demand for pervasive computing, and described GlobalFoundries reallocating capacity to help keep automakers supplied. Those points are his account of the circumstances and GF’s response in that interview.
He also made the case for GF’s role in US semiconductor-manufacturing policy: “We want to do our part, and we think it’s an important part.” The quote captures the company’s argument for inclusion in the policy discussion; it does not establish the merits or scale of any current proposal.
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What the “70%” does—and does not—tell you now
The figure helps explain how GlobalFoundries presented its strategy in 2021: semiconductors are not only leading-edge processors, and many important chips depend on technologies other than the smallest process nodes. But the interview’s approximate 30% estimate is Caulfield’s claim, not a current, universal measurement. It should not be treated as a present-day market split or used to infer the exact size of GF’s opportunity.
Leadership has since changed. GlobalFoundries’ leadership page identifies Caulfield as Executive Chairman, elected in April 2025, after serving as CEO from 2018. In an October 2025 company post, he discussed policy tools to create demand for US-made chips and said the pace of GF’s proposed expansion depended on customers committing to bring more supply back home. That later position is separate from what the 2021 “70%” framing can establish.
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