Speaking of which, where are next-generation fabs going to be built? They're going to Taiwan and China, because those countries want to be in the business and because capital is low-cost there. Wafer fabs today are like steel and automobile factories in the past. Every nation feels that if it's going to be a world player, it's got to have an indigenous semiconductor capability.
So what happened in Europe, which wanted an indigenous industry? They've got it. Siemens [Semiconductors]-or Infineon [Technologies AG], should say-- and ST [STMicroelectronics]. And then AMD in Dresden. Intel is in Ireland and Israel, if you consider Israel [part of] Europe. When you look at the economies, the reality is that very few companies can afford to have their own fabs.
In a study by the Goldman Sachs [Group], they determined that unless you're doing about $8 billion of revenue, you can't afford to have your own fab. Very few [semiconductor] companies are doing $8 billion in revenue.
And what about generations of technology? Everyone except Intel will have to be using foundry relationships or joint ventures. AMD is working with its own fab, because we developed the technology. Or [like AMD] you have to develop your own transistors, which is why a foundry like TSMC, UMC, or Grace Semiconductor would want to have a relationship with AMD. We can provide that extra performance in the transistor through our technology development.
Collaborations between foundries and leaders in process technology, like AMD, will mean we don't have to make the massive investments in plants.