This reticence to give out CHIPS Act funding right away apparently stemmed from fears from the government that Intel specifically would not meet its promises. “[There is fear that] Intel is going to take chips money, build an empty shell of a factory and then never actually open it, because they don’t have customers,” said former Commerce Department official Caitlin Legacki.
Honestly this seems like rare reasonable move by the federal government.
I mean, ‘take the money, build an empty factory’ is what tech companies do when you give them a money helicopter.
Maybe we should stop giving them any money and just nationalize these failed businesses that need bailouts? (Yes, yes, Intel isn’t failed - yet - but my point is still valid.)
If they’re important to the national security or whatever, then they’re important enough to go through that process for too.
