Christophe Fouquet took over as ASML's CEO in 2024 after spending more than a decade at the company. He sat down for an interview at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, and his message was clear: ASML's dominance isn't going anywhere.
The Dutch company holds a monopoly on EUV lithography machines, the equipment needed to make the most advanced chips powering AI systems. When asked about potential competitors, Fouquet was notably relaxed. No one is coming for us, essentially.
This matters because ASML's machines are critical infrastructure for AI development. Every cutting-edge AI chip from companies like NVIDIA, AMD, and others depends on ASML's technology. If you're building AI products or investing in the space, ASML's continued monopoly means stable supply chains but also potential bottlenecks.
The confidence from Fouquet isn't just bluster. Building EUV machines requires decades of R&D, billions in investment, and intricate supply chains that took years to establish. The barriers to entry are massive.
For AI companies and professionals, this interview is a reminder of how concentrated the semiconductor supply chain really is. One company controls a critical chokepoint for the entire industry, and that's not changing anytime soon.
