The Mind in the Machine, Part One: From Silicon to Sentience—Mapping the AI Supply Chain
The Mind in the Machine, Part One: From Silicon to Sentience—Mapping the AI Supply Chain
June 18, 2025
Presented by Rick Brink, CFA, Wentai Xiao, Michael Mathay, CFA, Luke Pryor, Ian McNaugher, CFA
Artificial intelligence is everywhere—but what powers it is often overlooked.
In this latest installment of the AB Disruptor Series, we’ll look behind the algorithms and output to examine the critical ecosystem that underpins AI. We’ll explore the key links in the AI supply chain—from raw materials and semiconductors to data centers and energy demand—and why they matter to investors. And of course, we’ll also look at how geopolitics, trade policy and tariffs are reshaping this landscape, creating both risks and potential across the value chain.
What We Discussed
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The unseen industrial backbone behind AI models
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Key links in the supply chain—from raw inputs and compute to energy, data and deployment
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The intersection of tariffs and AI: how tariff levies and policy shifts could ripple across the AI ecosystem
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Why resource access and chip capacity are becoming strategic assets
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