A semiconductor is a silicon wafer with deposited metals that form electrical circuits enabling computation in all our devices. They can be the size of a fingernail, but there’s nothing simple about these tiny components powering today’s electronics.

Creating one is a difficult, monthslong process requiring etching a polishing of the silicon piece, Guttorm Aase, partner at McKinsey & Company, told us.

“You also need hundreds of materials that are part of this process,” Aase said. “And if you had an interruption in the supply of any of those materials, the whole process stops.”

A recent report from McKinsey says strains on the semiconductor supply chain threaten to put the brakes on for US manufacturers.

A supply-chain management pro has tips on how to prepare.—BH

Today, we’re going to be talking about fractions. For those already breaking out into cold sweats, don’t worry; it’s not the math kind.

Fractional CISOs, also known as virtual CISOs (vCISOs), have long been viewed in the industry as a cost-effective alternative for companies unable to hire a full-time executive to bolster their cybersecurity posture.

However, Fractional CISO founder and CEO Rob Black told IT Brew that small organizations aren’t the only entities that can gain something from the outsourced services. IT Brew caught up with Black to discuss the changes the fractional CISO provider is seeing from the industry these days.

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Is it still true that fractional CISOs usually work with smaller companies who don’t have the budget to afford a full-time CISO?

We have some, I would say, pretty large clients. Usually, the larger the client, it might be more of an interim situation. So, basically, the CISO left for whatever reason. You’re probably not hiring someone right away. You need someone to fill the role…Where maybe they have a team, but they have a CISO and five employees, and none of those five employees are senior enough to step up. They might hire us or someone like us to bridge the gap as an interim basis.

What about accountability and security oversight?—BM

Almost every company these days is AI-curious. Growing numbers are also AI-ready. But only a handful of CEOs have had the audacity—and perhaps the chronic LinkedIn habit—to publicly declare their companies “AI-first.”

Duolingo, Shopify, and Box are among the companies that made waves with memos in which their CEOs laid out a vision for an “AI-first” future. (Shopify didn’t use this exact term, but the sentiment’s there.) These documents detail how AI will transform operations, employee expectations, and overall strategy going forward.

In Shopify and Duolingo’s case, the declarations have grabbed the most attention for their somewhat mask-off quality. While most executives are careful to say that AI is supplementing rather than replacing their workers, Shopify CEO Tobias Lütke was up-front about only expanding headcount when AI won’t suffice. Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn admitted his company will “gradually stop using contractors to do work that Al can handle.”

Keep reading on Tech Brew.—PK