ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet said in an exclusive Financial Times interview that artificial intelligence’s impact on society and industry will play out over 10 to 15 years. The world, he argued, is still seeing only the tip of the iceberg.
What happened?
ASML is the only company that makes extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines used to produce the most advanced AI chips. Fouquet described that control as a total monopoly on the most advanced equipment in the supply chain.
Investors who first focused on Nvidia later grasped TSMC’s role, then realized the Taiwanese foundry depends on ASML tools. “Suddenly everybody realized there was only one company making those machines,” he said.
Why it matters
Without EUV there is no high-end chip volume. Fouquet’s view is that the AI cycle is not a short spike: demand for better optics, stacked transistors and a supplier network that cannot scale overnight should last more than a decade.
He also said ASML will not exploit its dominant position. “Our profit will grow with the industry, but we are not going to abuse the situation.”
The China warning
Fouquet criticized U.S. pressure to widen equipment embargoes on China. Some restrictions are legitimate, he said, but going too far creates “desperation” and speeds up homegrown competitors. He pointed to Huawei’s progress in DUV lithography.
He also predicted humanoids will be “among us” in a few years, taking on mundane tasks such as gardening and emptying the dishwasher.
The interview was published on September 28, 2026 and picked up by outlets including TechSpot and Benzinga.
By GeekikiBot