82: Chapter 82 Ushers in the True Age of Intelligence

Listening to Lin Yuan's words, the entire press conference venue became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Being able to manufacture 10nm chips and having the conditions for mass commercial application are two completely different concepts.

Not a single semiconductor professional present was unaware of how deep the chasm between them was.

It is not as if no one internationally has touched 10nm.

Producing a few samples in a laboratory, publishing a few papers, and holding a few press conferences—top research institutions have all done such things.

But commercialization requires stability, mass production, and high yield rates.

It means throwing tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of wafers in, and having most of the resulting chips be usable!

To date, not a single foundry internationally has achieved this.

The most advanced international commercial process is only at 28nm.

And Xia Country's previous level was a pathetic 65nm.

Yet now, this twenty-year-old young man on stage told them casually—10nm is ready for commercialization.

Jumping straight from 65nm to 10nm? What about the generations in between? Just gone like that?

Such a thing, in any normal person's understanding, is absurd to the extreme.

Yet, the person who said this was Lin Yuan.

The same Lin Yuan who said he would "build a Photolithography Machine in half a year" and ended up bringing out the entire machine in less than two months.

Several domestic enterprise representatives in the front row had already begun rubbing their hands uncontrollably, their eyes meeting with the same question—Is this real?

Just as the entire venue was still immersed in this shock, unable to extricate themselves, Lin Yuan spoke again.

"Judging by everyone's reactions, it seems you are all worried about one thing."

He switched the microphone to his other hand, his posture relaxed.

"Worried about whether I am bragging."

As soon as these words were spoken, the buzzing whispers suddenly ceased.

Lin Yuan tilted his head slightly and scanned the area where the middle and back row enterprise representatives were sitting.

"I understand this concern; after all, it is indeed somewhat beyond imagination."

"But everyone, think about it."

Lin Yuan gestured vaguely toward the middle and back rows.

"For today's press conference, we invited so many domestic and international semiconductor enterprises to discuss cooperation."

"If 10nm couldn't be commercialized, how would we dare to invite you all here?"

He paused for a beat.

"To put it bluntly, if the chips couldn't be made, why would I ask you to come? To watch me perform a stand-up comedy routine?"

As soon as this was said, the venue was stunned for a moment, and then, several domestic reporters in the front row couldn't hold it in and were the first to laugh.

Laughter spread rapidly, and the enterprise representatives in the middle and back rows followed suit.

That oppressive sense of tension was pried open by this lighthearted joke.

The livestream chat room also exploded.

"Hahahaha, Chief Engineer Lin is starting to do his thing!"

"Stand-up comedy, I'm dying, this is the best stand-up special of the year!"

"Someone this confident is either truly capable or a total madman. But Chief Engineer Lin, he is the former!"

After the laughter, the atmosphere in the venue relaxed significantly.

Lin Yuan scanned the room, seeing that the timing was about right.

"Alright, now, let's enter the Q&A session."

"If anyone has any questions, you can raise your hand directly."

As soon as he finished speaking, over a dozen hands shot up in unison from the formation of reporters in the front row.

Lin Yuan's gaze swept across and finally landed on the person who moved the fastest and raised their hand the highest.

A blonde, blue-eyed foreign reporter.

Lin Yuan nodded at him.

"Please."

That foreign reporter stood up.

"Chief Engineer Lin, first of all, congratulations on the progress your side has made in the field of Photolithography Machines."

"However, I have a very realistic question I would like to ask."

He deliberately slowed his speech to ensure every word was crystal clear.

"As far as I know, the current mainstream commercial processes in the global semiconductor industry are 32nm and 40nm."

"Even the most advanced foundries have only just begun trial production of 28nm."

"Yet what you just announced is that 10nm chips can be mass-produced and commercialized."

He spread his hands, making a confused expression.

"My question is, in the current market, whether it's consumer electronics, communication equipment, or automotive chips, the existing Chip Architecture and application ecosystems are basically built around 32nm to 40nm processes."

"10nm chips, in the current market, simply have no corresponding demand or application scenarios."

"So, to whom do you intend to sell these mass-produced 10nm chips?"

Once this question was thrown out, the atmosphere at the venue suddenly became subtle.

In the livestream, the style of the barrage comments changed instantly.

"What kind of question is this? So we developed 10nm, and now it's a disadvantage?"

"A logic genius, are you? We are too advanced so no one uses it? This line of reasoning is truly something else."

"Let me translate: You shouldn't be this strong; you should obediently stay at 65nm and keep buying our chips."

"Hilarious, I can smell the sourness from across the Pacific."

The domestic reporters at the venue were also whispering to each other, many with expressions of being unable to laugh or cry.

10nm chips have no use? How many chip design companies worldwide dream of using more advanced processes, only to be strangled by production capacity and costs?

But then again, this reporter's question wasn't entirely devoid of logic.

No matter how advanced the technology is, without a supporting ecosystem and market, it is just a castle in the air.

This point was very clear to the business elites present.

Everyone's attention converged toward the podium.

Lin Yuan stood there, looking at that foreign reporter offstage, and suddenly smiled.

Subsequently, he brought the microphone to his lips.

"Mr. Reporter, your question is very good."

"Let me answer."

He raised an index finger and drew a small circle in the air.

"First, let me correct a small misconception."

"Our Photolithography Machine is not limited to only making 10nm."

As soon as these words came out, the foreign reporter's smile froze.

Offstage, thousands of ears perked up simultaneously.

"The maximum resolution of our Photolithography Machine is 8nm; making 10nm process chips was just a precision standard I chose during the testing phase."

Lin Yuan flicked his finger in mid-air.

"But it can also be compatible with more mature process nodes."

"28nm, it can do."

"20nm, it can do."

"14nm, it can do just the same."

The pupils of those enterprise representatives in the front row contracted wildly with each number that was dropped.

Hearing this, the foreign reporter's mouth opened and then closed again.

Lin Yuan continued.

"So, do you think there will be no one to use it?"

On the foreign reporter's face, that layer of polite smile could no longer be maintained.

Lin Yuan did not look at him again but turned the microphone toward the entire venue.

"Of course, from a commercial perspective, the market demand for 28nm and 20nm is indeed more urgent and easier to implement quickly."

"But—"

He emphasized this transition.

"Personally, what I recommend most is still 10nm."

Upon hearing this, countless people held their breath.

Lin Yuan looked directly into the camera, his pitch-black eyes reflecting the countless lights of the venue, shining astonishingly.

"Because the emergence of 10nm chips represents more than just the progress of a process node."

"It will redefine every smart device in our hands."

"Opening a true Intelligent Era."